Despite subdued economic conditions and geopolitical tensions, the Port of Hamburg recorded growth in seaborne cargo throughput in the first half of 2025.
According to the company's release, total throughput increased by 3.6 percent year-on-year to 57.8 million tonnes.
Container throughput grew by 9.3 percent to 4.2 million TEU, supported by a 11.6 percent rise in imports and a 6.9 percent increase in exports. Measured in tonnes, containerised general cargo rose 6.8 percent to 41.2 million tonnes.
According to Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, "We are delighted that the Port of Hamburg is able to benefit to this extent from new liner services and the restructuring of the shipping companies. In comparison with competing ports, Hamburg is thus able to set an extremely positive example and gain market share."
Conventional general cargo and bulk goods declined slightly. Conventional general cargo fell 3.7 percent to 0.6 million tonnes, while bulk cargo throughput dropped 3.8 percent to 16.0 million tonnes.
Liquid cargo rose 10.3 percent to 4.7 million tonnes, but grabbable cargo declined 6.6 percent to 8.5 million tonnes and agricultural goods decreased 13.9 percent to 2.9 million tonnes.
Grain exports fell 80.8 percent to 852,000 tonnes, while oilseed imports rose 8.9 percent to 1.7 million tonnes. Growth was mainly driven by trade with the Far East and the Baltic Sea.
Container throughput with the Far East increased 10.7 percent to 1.8 million TEU, with strong growth in Malaysia (+93.2 percent to 169,000 TEU), India (+41.6 percent to 137,000 TEU) and China (+10.5 percent to 1.2 million TEU).
Trade with the Baltic Sea region rose 20.8 percent to 734,000 TEU, including Denmark (+36.0 percent to 98,000 TEU), Finland (+20.1 percent to 125,000 TEU) and Poland (+28.8 percent to 182,000 TEU). Throughput with the USA declined 19.3 percent to 275,000 TEU. Ship calls increased by 0.7 percent.
Calls by large container ships of more than 10,000 TEU grew 51.6 percent to 285, and calls by units exceeding 24,000 TEU rose 29.6 percent to 127. New liner services to the Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East and India supported growth, and container carriers adjusted to rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope.
Container hinterland transport increased 2.2 percent to 2.6 million TEU, while transhipment throughput grew 23.8 percent to 1.6 million TEU.
Friedrich Stuhrmann, CCO of Hamburg Port Authority, said: "With renewed growth in container hinterland transport, the Port of Hamburg is maintaining a long-term trend. It will once again live up to its role as a hub between the markets in the Far East and Northern Europe, particularly the Baltic Sea region. The greater combined ship widths in the passing box off Wedel, which have been tested since April, now allow for a more flexible organisation of traffic. With the transformation of the Waltershofer Hafen and the associated expansion of the turning circle now underway, we are launching pioneering projects and sending important signals to ensure that these developments continue in the future."
Port of Hamburg Marketing is a registered association that promotes the Port of Hamburg internationally and represents the interests of its members, which include shipping companies, logistics firms and other stakeholders in the maritime industry.
Hamburg Port Authority is a public-law institution owned by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. It manages port infrastructure, traffic control and development projects within the Port of Hamburg.