Russian sanctions hit Port of Hamburg in Q1

Growth was hampered, Hamburg reported, by a 34.8% decrease in first quarter container trades with Russia, which fell to 109,000 teu during the period. The fall in volumes with Russia drove down total container throughput to 2.3 m teu, a 2.3% decrease over what had nevertheless been described as an “unusually satisfactory” Q1 result in 2014.

Hamburg port ceo Axel Mattern indicated that were sanctions to be lifted and a recovery to occur in the Russian economy, Russian trade via Hamburg would be restored.

The marginal increase was driven by a 12% increase in bulk cargo throughput  to 11.7m tons, driven by a 64.1% rise in coal imports to 1.8m tons, and a 44% increase in wheat exports to 1.62m tons.

Port-hinterland container transport, via rail, truck and inland waterway craft, increased 7.3% to 1.5m teu and rail transport, in particular, grew 11.1% to 602,000 teu. “Along with the other North German states, in Berlin we shall be urging that seaport-hinterland traffic routes should be properly catered for in the new Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan,” explained executive board-member Ingo Egloff. “Only a high-performing and intact infrastructure will guarantee incoming and outgoing access for seaports in the interests of the entire national economy.

“We are also therefore hoping for a positive decision this year by the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig on the implementation of the dredging of the navigation channel on the Lower and Outer Elbe.”