The Port of Hamburg, Germany’s largest universal port, saw its inland and hinterland cargo traffic grow by 12.1% – 2.57 million tons – in the first quarter of 2019, according to its latest financial results.
The data also shows that, for the first quarter of 2019, the Port has handled 34,640 TEU – 20ft standard containers – an increase of 20% in comparison with the same period last year.
The transport forecast for 2030 estimate an above average growth for seaport-hinterland transport in Germany.
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However, the Port also said it had been affected by low water on the River Elbe, which had made the waterway “barely navigable” since May.
Stefan Kunze, Head of the Port of Hamburg Representative Office in Dresden, said he expected an increase in Hamburg’s seaport-hinterland traffic via inland craft on the River Elbe, and called for better alignment of the infrastructure to the operating requirements of inland shipping.
“Digitalization and intermeshing the various carriers, construction work on the waterways and optimized coordination of inland vessel calls in the Port of Hamburg, will in future lead to more cargo and simplified handling of transport chains along the Elbe and Elbe Lateral Canal,” he said.
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