HHLA grows its India shipping business

Hamburger Hafen and Logistik AG (HHLA) has ramped up its business with India, quadrupling the number of weekly ship connections between its Hamburg terminals and Indian seaports in the last five years.

With just five weekly links in 2005 there are already 20 connections this year, primarily to the busy Mumbai port of Nhava Sheva.

Ten container shipping companies are operating direct liner services between Hamburg and India – five years ago, there were only four.

In the first half of 2010 alone, HHLA handled 220,000 TEUs of Indian import and export goods at its Hamburg facilities. Five years ago, these totalled only 110.000 TEU. With its modular expansion scheme for its container terminals, HHLA is well prepared for further growth in the next few years.

Thomas Lütje, managing director of HHLA Container Terminals, said HHLA would continue to secure excellent conditions for container handling in Hamburg.

“With our direct inland connections, for instance to Czech Republic and Poland, we also facilitate rapid onward transport of goods into the European hinterland,” he said.

More than 500 Hamburg based companies are already trading with India, and Hamburg accounts for an 11 percent share in the total volume of German-Indian trade.

Among the main goods exported from Hamburg are products for the aerospace industry, machinery, chemical products, tools and copper products. Most goods imported from India consist of textiles, chemical and pharmaceutical products, as well as dried fruits.

“The signs point to growth. We are confident that the number of ship connections between Hamburg and Indian ports will further increase in the next few years,” said Lütje.
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)