Contributing to the total were bulk cargo throughput at 11.5 million tons (down 1.9 percent) and general cargo throughput at 23.3 million tons (down 2.7 percent), both segments being somewhat weaker than in the same quarter of 2015. At 2.2 million TEU (down 3.4 percent) container throughput for the quarter was also lower.
The first-quarter total for seaborne cargo throughput was shaped especially by lower container traffic with China, the Port of Hamburg’s most important trading partner by a wide margin. Down 8.0 percent at 651,000 TEU, container traffic with China was 57,000 TEU lower than in the previous year, and as the largest volume fall affected the global total. Gratifying double-digit and single-digit growth rates in container traffic with Finland (up 11.1 percent), the USA (up 14.2 percent), Malaysia (up 6.4 percent), the United Kingdom (up 31.8 percent) and India (up 4.1 percent), all of them among the Port of Hamburg’s Top Ten trading partners, were not sufficient to restore the previous total. “Taken together, the downturns for the Top Three trading partners, China (down 8.0 percent), Singapore (down 7.6 percent) and Russia (down 4.9 percent) constituted the main factor affecting our result on container handling. We saw the onset of stabilization occurring during the first quarter and are assuming that the volume downturn in container traffic with China and Russia has bottomed out, with both countries remaining core markets for the Port of Hamburg. A few weeks ago, we discerned positive signals from the Russian economy at TransRussia, while showcasing at the largest Russian logistics trade fair and during the numerous information functions and discussions with representatives of firms and the world of politics. Even in tough times, for Russia the Port of Hamburg remains an essential international trade hub,” said Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), at its quarterly press conference.
In 2016 China too remains a market region being intensively cultivated by Port of Hamburg Marketing and its Representative Offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In addition to Shanghai, in mid-June a port business delegation including representatives of BUSS Port Logistics, Brunsbüttel Ports, TCO Transcargo and HPA Hamburg Port Authority will be visiting Ningbo, Tianjin and Beijing. Along with discussions with Chinese representatives of leading import and export companies, specialized talks are also firmly planned with Chinese ports and transport companies, as well as trade associations and government agencies, as part of the program for the trading centres on the itinerary. In Shanghai, the members of the Port of Hamburg delegation will be running a Logistics Workshop for their Chinese port customers and partners. As a networking event, they will also be inviting them to a Port of Hamburg VIP Dinner. A visit to the “transport logistic China” trade fair is also planned.
At 2.2 million TEU, first-quarter container throughput remained slightly below the previous year’s, being down by 78,000 TEU, or 3.4 percent. This was primarily due to the slow start to container traffic with China and Russia early in the year. The first three months, for instance, brought cancellation of some sailings on container liner services on the East Asia trade route owing to cargo space over-capacity, and complete withdrawal of one liner service. Besides Hamburg, other ports were affected. Fortunately, in the course of the first quarter Hamburg also received new liner services. For a start, MAERSK shipping line’s Colombia fruit service now links the Colombian ports of Turbo and Santa Maria with the HHLA Frucht- and Kühl-Zentrum at O’Swaldkai multi-purpose terminal, while HDS/IRISL’s new ECL container service links Hamburg with the ports of Genoa, Istanbul, Port Said and Bandar Abbas every two weeks. Since Iran is seeing pent-up demand for investment goods for its oil, automotive, chemical and energy sectors following the trade restrictions of recent years, Axel Mattern and his Executive Board colleague Ingo Egloff are assuming that Hamburg with its traditionally excellent relations with Iran will again be of growing significance as the Northern European transhipment location for cargo to and from Iran.
Bulk cargo throughput in the first quarter at 11.5 million tons was just below the previous year’s record total, being down by 1.9 percent. Contributing to the segment total were suction cargoes, down by 13.5 percent at 2.3 million tons, grab cargoes, down by 1.5 percent at 5.4 million tons, and liquid cargoes at 3.7 million, up by 6.1 percent. Among liquid cargoes, imports of oil products at 2.7 million tons developed especially well, increasing by 65.5 percent. Among suction cargoes, the especially strong grain exports of the previous year’s first quarter were not repeated, causing a 13.5 percent fall in throughput. While imports of oilseeds were up by 51.7 percent at 912,000 tons, these failed to offset the downturn in grain exports.
More freight shipments by rail on Hamburg’s seaport-hinterland services – Port of Hamburg’s growing rail share
Hamburg is Europe’s leading rail port, offering shippers generally more than 1,100 weekly block train links with transhipment to and from intermodal terminals in Germany and elsewhere. “During the first quarter, 11.6 million tons of freight was transported by rail into or out of the Port of Hamburg. That is an increase of 1.3 percent. Against the background of the 2.5 percent fall in total throughput, it represents a further advance in the rail share in the Port of Hamburg’s modal split, which was about 45.8 percent for 2015 as a whole. “The fact that Easter fell in March caused a slightly weaker result for rail in the overall quarterly balance. Limited freight train connections over the holidays caused lower volumes of freight to be transported to and from the port. At 585,000 TEU (down by 2.8 percent), the total figure for containers transported by rail during the first quarter was therefore lower than in the comparable quarter of the previous year. Quarterly returns for port throughput and port traffic therefore always need to be seen in context,” explained Ingo Egloff, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing. Hamburg’s cargo handling terminals are preparing for further growth in rail container traffic. One example is at HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder, where HHLA is continuing to expand the largest rail container terminal in Europe. By the end of this, handling capacity at this facility directly adjacent to Container Terminal Altenwerder, and therefore guaranteeing the shortest distances between loading/unloading of trains and ships, will have been boosted by 140,000 TEU to 930,000 TEU. Ingo Egloff is convinced that against the background of the forthcoming extension of the truck toll to all federal main roads, rail will become even more attractive as the mode of transport for long-haul freight.
Dredging of the navigation channel and the expansion and modernization of transport infrastructure are of immense importance for Hamburg’s further development as Germany’s leading port and logistics location in. Fit-for-purpose transport links constitute truly vital arteries for global foreign trade.