Hamburg port fees to rise 3.5% in 2012
Hamburg is raising its port fees by 3.5% next year, but says mega-size containerships will see their levies capped at the 11,000teu level when calling at Europe’s second-largest container hub, ifw-net reports.
Germany’s Hamburg Port Authority said it would also change the structure of general port fees and charges in 2012, and introduce digital data collection to calculate levies.
“Despite the strong growth in especially large containerships, the cap will not be raised,” a statement from the port authority said.
“Ships will pay port fees only for a size of up to about 110,000gt, which roughly corresponds to a containership with a capacity of 11,000 standard containers,”
“The aim is to keep the port of Hamburg attractive for the rising number of giant containerships. It is also the HPA’s response to the fairway adjustment, which has not been implemented yet.”
Containerships of around 14,000teu are becoming the norm on the Asia-Europe trades, and Maersk Line has 20 18,000teu vessels on order, with delivery beginning in 2013.
From next summer, Hamburg will introduce a handling component for the first time. Until now, port fees have been calculated based solely on the size of a ship.
A spokesman said: “The new handling component will significantly reduce the port fee ships with lower handling volumes have to pay. The HPA’s decision follows the request made by shipping companies and ship brokers during the last economic crisis to place more emphasis on handling volumes.”
Germany’s Hamburg Port Authority said it would also change the structure of general port fees and charges in 2012, and introduce digital data collection to calculate levies.
“Despite the strong growth in especially large containerships, the cap will not be raised,” a statement from the port authority said.
“Ships will pay port fees only for a size of up to about 110,000gt, which roughly corresponds to a containership with a capacity of 11,000 standard containers,”
“The aim is to keep the port of Hamburg attractive for the rising number of giant containerships. It is also the HPA’s response to the fairway adjustment, which has not been implemented yet.”
Containerships of around 14,000teu are becoming the norm on the Asia-Europe trades, and Maersk Line has 20 18,000teu vessels on order, with delivery beginning in 2013.
From next summer, Hamburg will introduce a handling component for the first time. Until now, port fees have been calculated based solely on the size of a ship.
A spokesman said: “The new handling component will significantly reduce the port fee ships with lower handling volumes have to pay. The HPA’s decision follows the request made by shipping companies and ship brokers during the last economic crisis to place more emphasis on handling volumes.”