Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) maintained its profitable growth course in the 2007 financial year, setting new records with revenues at 1.18 billion euros as well as an operating result of around 285 million euros.

In 2007 HHLA Group substantially boosted volume, revenues and result. With growth of 16 percent, revenues reached 1.18 billion euros (previous year: 1.02 billion euros). Operating result (EBIT) once again rose disproportionately by over 30 percent to around 285 million euros (previous year: 218 million euros). Vested in the Port Logistics subgroup, HHLA’s publicly listed core business achieved revenues of 1.15 billion euros and EBIT of around 275 million euros. All figures are preliminary and not yet audited.

The basis for the renewed improvement in key indicators was the successful business trend in Port Logistics. All three segments of this subgroup reported fresh volume records in 2007:

  • HHLA terminals in the Container segment increased throughput by 11.7 percent to 7.2 million standard containers (TEU), of which 6.7 million TEU were handled in Hamburg and 0.5 million TEU in Odessa
  • HHLA companies in the Intermodal segment boosted volumes transported in container hinterland traffic by 8.3 percent to 1.7 million standard containers; the scheduled Central and Eastern European services run by the Metrans and Polzug rail companies managed to boost volumes
  • In the Logistics segment, fruit handling at 1.03 million tons (+ 4.7 percent) for the first time topped the one-million mark, while vehicle handling grew by 9.5 percent to 142,000 units, and bulk cargo (ore and coal) reached a new peak at 15 million tons (+ 8 percent).

“The 2007 trend is impressive proof for the course we have adopted of going for growth based on profitability. This puts us in a position to finance our ambitious expansion program on a solid basis, and to maintain the success story of our last few years on into the future,” emphasized Klaus-Dieter Peters, chairman of the HHLA executive board, on publication of preliminary business figures for 2007.

In 2008 HHLA will continue to invest in expanding its handling capacities, hinterland network and logistics activities, as well as in its real estate. During the current year, the capacity of HHLA Container Terminals will rise to over 8 million standard containers, 7.5 million of these in the Port of Hamburg. Seen overall, for the current business year HHLA reckons with a further positive trend in revenues and result.

HHLA will be publishing detailed information and audited annual financial statements for 2007 on 31 March 2008.