GERMANY's main Port of Hamburg posted a 6.1 per cent increase in 2019 container volume to 9.3 million TEU year on year and a 1.1 per cent increase in overall throughput to 136.6 million tons, the port authority announced.
Up by 10.4 per cent to 2.7 million TEU in 2019, the Port of Hamburg's container transport by rail also set a new record. Hamburg's Port Railway moved that between the harbour and the hinterland, running 62,000 trains of 1.7 million boxcars, up three per cent year on year to 48.2 million tons.
'Twelve months ago I said at this point that the Port of Hamburg was on the offensive again,' said Hamburg Port Authority CEO Jens Meierof.
'The figures we now have for 2019 provide proof - and should convince all those who are otherwise inclined to look to the future with scepticism,' he said, adding that the port also built the new Kattwyk rail bridge and the new Burchardkai link, adding to the port's efficiency.
In 2019 a total of 2.6 million TEU - up 1.7 per cent - were handled in seaborne container traffic with China, Hamburg's most important trading partner.
For shipowners, the River Elbe?s fairway dredging not only simplifies calls at Hamburg, but facilitates transport of extra cargo.
'Greater draft and an easier situation for passing on the Elbe permit improved utilisation of transport capacity on the ships,' explained board member Alex Mattern.
'Once the Elbe has been deepened, large containerships or bulk carriers will be able to bring or take away around 18,000 tons more cargo to and from Hamburg. In 2019 the Port of Hamburg recorded a total of 684 calls by ultra-large containerships of more than 10,000 TEU.
Last year, 165 of these were in the 18,000-plus TEU category. This represented growth of 10 per cent, underlining the necessity of dredging. The port and its handling terminals are already handling mega-carriers with slots capacities in excess of 21,000 TEU.
'Looking to the future, they are also preparing to safely handle arrivals and departures by even larger vessels. 'With the 'HMM Algeciras' in May, we are expecting the first call by a mega-carrier with a slot capacity of 24,000 TEU,' said Mr Mattern.
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Up by 10.4 per cent to 2.7 million TEU in 2019, the Port of Hamburg's container transport by rail also set a new record. Hamburg's Port Railway moved that between the harbour and the hinterland, running 62,000 trains of 1.7 million boxcars, up three per cent year on year to 48.2 million tons.
'Twelve months ago I said at this point that the Port of Hamburg was on the offensive again,' said Hamburg Port Authority CEO Jens Meierof.
'The figures we now have for 2019 provide proof - and should convince all those who are otherwise inclined to look to the future with scepticism,' he said, adding that the port also built the new Kattwyk rail bridge and the new Burchardkai link, adding to the port's efficiency.
In 2019 a total of 2.6 million TEU - up 1.7 per cent - were handled in seaborne container traffic with China, Hamburg's most important trading partner.
For shipowners, the River Elbe?s fairway dredging not only simplifies calls at Hamburg, but facilitates transport of extra cargo.
'Greater draft and an easier situation for passing on the Elbe permit improved utilisation of transport capacity on the ships,' explained board member Alex Mattern.
'Once the Elbe has been deepened, large containerships or bulk carriers will be able to bring or take away around 18,000 tons more cargo to and from Hamburg. In 2019 the Port of Hamburg recorded a total of 684 calls by ultra-large containerships of more than 10,000 TEU.
Last year, 165 of these were in the 18,000-plus TEU category. This represented growth of 10 per cent, underlining the necessity of dredging. The port and its handling terminals are already handling mega-carriers with slots capacities in excess of 21,000 TEU.
'Looking to the future, they are also preparing to safely handle arrivals and departures by even larger vessels. 'With the 'HMM Algeciras' in May, we are expecting the first call by a mega-carrier with a slot capacity of 24,000 TEU,' said Mr Mattern.
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