Port of Hamburg’s throughput declined by 5% in 2023

The German port’s total throughput dropped 5% on the year to 114.3 million mt in 2023. 

PHOTO: The Port of Hamburg with the Elbe River. Getty Images

The port authority attributed "geopolitical and economic challenges" that caused the decline in throughput in all North Range ports in 2023. Ports such as Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremen, Bremerhaven and Hamburg, make up the North Range.

"The declining development of the German economy and the subdued consumer sentiment also affected the business of Germany’s largest all-purpose port,” the port authority said. 

The port’s bulk cargo remained stable at 36.2 million mt in 2023, and liquid cargo throughput gained 7% compared to 2022, increasing to 10.6 million mt, according to figures released by the port authority. 

Meanwhile, Hamburg’s container throughput plummeted nearly 7% on the year to 7.7 million TEUs. The drop in container throughput came to around 12% in the first half of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022. 

The throughput levels in Hamburg in 2023 were roughly similar to those in other ports in northern Europe, the Port of Hamburg's marketing chief executive Axel Mattern said.  

“The decline is primarily due to the difficult geopolitical and economic situation that we are all facing,” Mattern explained.

By Manjula Nair

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