- The Port of Hamburg will maintain a Steady Container Throughput in 2024.
- Loaded Container Volumes Grow, but Empty Container Throughput Declines.
- Bulk Cargo Throughput Shows Gradual Recovery Amid Mixed Trends.
Container throughput at the Port of Hamburg reached 5.8 million TEU in the first nine months of 2024 with an almost unchanged year-on-year figure. Growth in loaded container throughput and general cargo offered a positive outlook. Rail forwarding continued to develop as a cornerstone of sustainable transport, reports Port of Hamburg.
Increase in Loaded Containers
The loaded container throughput increased by 0.2% at 5.1 million TEU. In contrast, the empty container throughput dropped dramatically by 4.6% to 722,000 TEU. The overall combined tonnage declined by 0.4% to a total of 6.0 million TEU.
Tonnes Throughput Remains Stable
In terms of weight, container throughput came in at 58.2 million tonnes – a trivial minus 0.1 percent change compared with the previous year – but missed the opportunity to really profit from the Asia-Mediterranean rerouting of vessel traffic to western transshipment hubs.
Gradual Recovery in Bulk Cargo
Bulk cargo throughput edged back up a little during the year at 24.9 million tonnes (-9.3 per cent). This represented a mid-year turnaround from a steeper minus 12.1 per cent decline.
Growth in the General Cargo Segment
The conventional general cargo segment experienced a 3.7 per cent increase, reaching 904,000 tonnes. This segment continues to offer significant value-added potential for the Port of Hamburg.
Top Trade Partners by TEU Throughput
- China: Maintained its position as Hamburg’s largest trade partner with 1.6 million TEU.
- United States: Recorded a 7.6 per cent growth, reaching 520,000 TEU.
- Brazil: Increased by 2.6 per cent to 124,000 TEU.
- Mexico: Throughput grew by 3.5 percent to 81,000 TEU.
- Poland: Achieved a 16.0 per cent increase, totalling 232,000 TEU.
- Malaysia: Saw significant growth of 29.8 per cent, reaching 144,000 TEU.
Commitment to Sustainable Transport
“Rail forwarding, a cornerstone of sustainable transport, also developed positively in the first nine months. As Europe’s largest rail port, we attach great importance to the expansion of rail transport. Container transport in this segment rose by 2.7 percent and the Port of Hamburg also gained ground in terms of total rail tonnage”, says Axel Mattern, Member of the Executive Board of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM).
Challenges Impact Overall Throughput
The ailing German economy, global tensions such as the war in Ukraine and conflict around the Red Sea, will negatively impact total seaborne cargo throughput, which decreased 3.0 percent year on year to 84.0 million tonnes between January and September 2024.
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Source: Port of Hamburg
