First-quarter returns from the universal Port of Hamburg

In the first quarter of 2018, the Port of Hamburg achieved total throughput of 32.7 million tons (down 7.5 percent). In Hamburg this heading covers general cargo throughput of 22.7million tons (down 1.8 percent) and bulk cargo throughput of 10.0 million tons (down 18.2 percent). In the bulk cargo throughput segment, it was impossible to match the fresh record throughput total of 12.2million tons achieved in the first quarter of 2017, with markets causing downturns in all three sub-segments: suction, grab and liquid cargoes.

On the import side, general cargo handling at 11.5million tons was ahead by 3.1 percent. At 11.2million tons (- 6.3 percent), exports were somewhat weaker. The trend on conventional general cargo throughput proved highly satisfactory.

Totalling 370,000tons, first-quarter throughput here rose by 14.3 percent, maintaining the upward trend started in the fourth quarter of 2017. Container handling in the first quarter of 2018 remained stable at 2.2millionTEU (down 1.9 percent), only just below the comparable figure for the previous year. At 612,000TEU, container transport by rail achieved a notable advance of 4.1 percent.

Hamburg extended its leading position as Europe’s largest rail port. At 1.9millionTEU (up 0.7 percent), the first-quarter trend for total seaborne container throughput of loaded boxes in Hamburg was once again positive. By contrast, handling of empty boxes was again lower. First-quarter throughput of these in Hamburg totalled 252,000TEU, a downturn of 18.0 percent.

On the main sea trade routes, Hamburg’s container services with North America East Coast, Eastern Europe (Baltic) and India/Pakistan are still subject to downturns. Among the trades where container services performed distinctly better than in the first three months of the previous year were East Asia (North), South America East Coast, North America West Coast, and North East & West Africa. 

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