Of all ports in the North European Range, in 2011 Hamburg therefore achieved the fastest absolute growth in container throughput. After a successful year in 2011, the Port of Hamburg with throughput 14.2 percent up at altogether 9 million TEU is again Europe’s second largest container port, ahead of Antwerp. The Port of Hamburg’s total throughput was 9.1 percent higher, reaching a volume of 132 million tons that crossed its quays in the past twelve months. In other words, 11 million tons more were handled compared to 2010.
Claudia Roller, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), presented the 2011 handling figures at the Port of Hamburg’s annual press conference today: “We are delighted that in 2011 the Port of Hamburg proved able to achieve above-average growth both in total throughput and in container traffic. With the strongest absolute growth in container throughput, Hamburg regained market shares of approximately 1.3 percentage points as against its competing ports.”
The positive trend in 2011 prompted Claudia Roller to forecast growth once again for next year: “For 2012 we are also reckoning with an increase in throughput figures, although this will slow down compared to 2011, meaning that by year-end we should have achieved a moderate increase on seaborne cargoes. With its existing capacities, well developed infrastructure and highly efficient port service providers, some of whom have recently won international awards, Hamburg is very well equipped to handle growing cargo volumes with its customary reliability, speed and high quality. The forthcoming deepening of the navigation channel on the Lower and Outer Elbe will further boost Hamburg’s attractiveness in competition with North Range ports as a European hub for ultra-large vessels.
Nevertheless, as yet not fully implemented changes in major liner services make it difficult to calculate the trend in container throughput at this stage.” Following 6.9 percent growth in world trade in 2011, for 2012 the IMF (International Monetary Fund) anticipates a renewed slowdown in such growth to 3.8 percent. The IMF assessment of the prospects for world growth also takes into account that in 2012 the repercussions of the debt crisis will cause countries of the Eurozone to slip into a slight recession in the area of the real economy.