Hamburg first quarter container volume up 18.2pc to 2.1 million TEU

THE Port of Hamburg posted an 18.2 per cent increase in container volume to 2.1 million TEU in the first quarter and a 9.8 per cent gain in total cargo throughput, port authorities announced.


By comparison, Rotterdam posted a 10.1 per cent increase in box volume while Antwerp reported a gain of 7.9 per cent.


Total seaborne cargo throughput in Germany's largest universal port reached 31.4 million tons, up 9.8 per cent.


General cargo throughput at 21.4 million tons developed very well, being 15 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2010.


"We are delighted and see the main reason as being the unusually strong increase on the container trade routes to and from Asia as well as the Baltic region," said Claudia Roller, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.


"Hamburg is the leading feeder port for the Baltic region and managed to extend this position in the first quarter of 2011," she said.


At 82,000 TEU, the increase in container traffic to and from Finland reached 49.3 per cent while at 55,000 TEU seaborne container traffic with ports in Poland was up 26.9 per cent.


"For these services with the Baltic area the Kiel Canal gives Hamburg a significant advantage in competition with the Northern European seaports situated farther West in the form of shorter voyage times and savings of distance, depending on the ports of origin and destination," said the press release.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)