The rise in non-containerised traffic helped the port enjoy an eight percent growth in total cargo handling in the first half-year 2010 to 58.6 million tonnes. Imports grew by 12.3 percent to 33.7 million tonnes while exports reached 24.9 million tonnes, up a more modest 2.9 percent compared with the previous year.
Claudia Roller, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, said: “The pleasing cargo handling figures confirm the clear upward trend in cargo throughput of the Port of Hamburg.”
If there is a positive business trend for the rest of the year, Roller predicts that the port may see around 119 million tonnes of cargo this year, a rise of just under 10 percent over 2009.