Hamburg’s universal port with 50.7 million tons of predominantly container handling achieves a result of 4.8 million TEU (20-ft standard containers), an increase of 6.8 percent. The largest seaports on the north European continent show an average growth in total handling of 1.8 percent and in container handling of 2.6 percent. The Port of Hamburg can look back on above average growth in container traffic, building up its market share from 25.7 to 26.7 percent.
At 51.6 million tons in the first half year general cargo handling showed a gain of 8.8 percent. “We can see extraordinarily strong growth in loaded container handling: 4.2 million full boxes went over the quay walls in Hamburg. That is 8.2 percent more than in the previous year and more than ever before in the port’s history in a first half-year,” explained Axel Mattern, member of the Executive Board of Port of Hamburg Marketing. At 588,000 TEU, handling empty boxes showed a slight decline of 2.1 percent. Strong exports with a total of 2.3 million TEU (+ 6.3 percent) in container handling, and comparably strong imports at 2.5 million TEU (+ 7.4 percent) are largely responsible for the generally above-average result in container handling.
Throughput in conventional general cargo also showed positive development with a plus at 930,000 tons (+ 0.8 percent) in the first half year, including 302,000 tons (+ 1.7 percent) in project and heavy lift cargo handling at the special terminals. This was possible thanks to strong growth in imports from 33.3 percent up to 66,000 tons. The bulk cargo sector with 21 million tons shows growth of 1.6 percent. This result was especially positively influenced by growing exports of grain, petroleum, biodiesel and chemical products. On the import side there was a slight decline of 4.5 percent in throughput of suction, grabbable and liquid cargo. “The growth in seafreight has created new jobs in the Port of Hamburg. In the meantime there are more workers employed in the handling terminals than in the boom year 2008. The port economy is specifically seeking and employing more workers,” said Ingo Egloff, member of the Executive Board of Port of Hamburg Marketing. HHLA has just created 50 new jobs at Container Terminal Burchardkai at the end of July, and announced they would hire new employees at Container Terminal Altenwerder. The Personnel service provider for the port GHB (Gesamthafenbetriebsgesellschaft) has created 60 new jobs this year, in order to have enough qualified personnel for continued growth in general and bulk cargo terminals. “The Hamburg Port Authority is prepared for further growth and is increasing training places for the next generation, qualification programmes for career changers and continuous in-service training for employees. The port with its many varied professional requirements offers numerous attractive opportunities for those starting a career,” explained Egloff.