Consequences of COVID Pandemic Affect the Port of Hamburg’s 2020 Throughput

Seaborne cargo throughput in the Port of Hamburg performed better than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. The upward trend has been noticeable since the third quarter. Seaborne cargo throughput in the fourth quarter was even around three percent higher than in the same quarter the year before.

Container throughput was just 1.2 percent lower year over year. However, total throughput in 2020 amounted to 126.3 million tons, 7.6 percent below the high total of 136.6 million tons reached in the previous year. The coronavirus pandemic was felt worldwide and had particularly serious effects on the Port of Hamburg in the first half of 2020. “The first six months were notable for reduced activity in many areas of the economy, weaker consumer demand, and a reduction in liner service sailings. In Hamburg, this caused a double-digit downturn in throughput. We are delighted that the second half brought a turnaround, with the total throughput in 2020 showing only a single-digit minus,” explained Axel Mattern, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM).

For Ingo Egloff, Axel Mattern’s Executive Board colleague, 2020 represented a special challenge for the entire port. “A tremendous combined effort enabled the port together with its terminals, logistics and service providers, and its transport connections with the hinterland to remain fully operational over the whole period. My thanks go to all those who, despite difficult conditions, perform their work with great commitment 24/7 in the Port of Hamburg and along the worldwide transport chains.

Ship’s crews, skilled staff in the handling and logistics sector, pilots, and all others employed in the companies, public sector, and other organizations involved in the port industry make a valuable contribution to securing supplies for the people and the economy every day,” Egloff stressed. In 2020 as a whole, 126.3 million tons of seaborne cargo were loaded or discharged at terminals in the Port of Hamburg. That represents a 7.6 percent downturn from the previous year’s excellent total. Both general cargo, down 7.9 percent at 87.8 million tons, and bulk cargo, 6.7 percent lower at 38.5 million tons, were affected. In container handling, the 2020 total of 8.5 million TEU (20-ft standard containers) was 7.9 percent below the previous year’s volume. “It is interesting that in Hamburg on the whole, imports, 7.8 percent lower at 4.4 million TEU, and exports, down 8.2 percent at 4.2 million TEU, showed similar developments. The sharp decline in imports from Asia in the first half of the year was one reason for this. The very stable trend in landside hinterland traffic is also notable, decreasing only 5.8 percent. At 11.6 percent, the downturn in transhipment handling was steeper,” Mattern said.
 
Within the bulk cargo segment, agribulk developed positively, totalling 7.5 million tons and increasing by 19.7 percent. Grain export was the main factor behind this growth. Up 198.6 percent to 2.2 million tons, this contributed to excellent overall results in agribulk. Another factor was the 6.8 percent growth in oilseed imports, which accounted for 3.2 million tons of cargo. Decreases in steel output and coal-fired power generation led to downturns in imports of coal/coke, 35 percent lower at 4.7 million tons, and ore, 4.4 percent lower at 9.5 million tons. All in all, 19.4 million tons of grabber cargo were handled in Hamburg, representing a 13.2 percent drop. 

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