Cargo handling in the Port of Kiel increased by 13.4% in the first half of the year to 2.7 million tons. The Ostuferhafen handled more cargo than any other part of the port and posted its best results since going into operation 25 years ago. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) said “every second ton of freight moving through Kiel is currently handled in the Ostuferhafen. The capacity utilisation of the Ostuferhafen has in the meantime risen to more than 80%, which underscores the need to expand capacity there medium term in the direction of the former Ortopedia site”. Instrumental in the harbour’s growth have been the ferry services to and from the Baltic, Russia and Scandinavia as well as container transport, which began just last year.

In terms of figures, strongest growth was recorded on the Kiel-Klaipeda ferry service. For the first time, more than 1 million tons were handled on this route in the first six months of the year. “The introduction of the big RoPax ferry  “Lisco Maxima” has added competitive momentum to coast parallel sea transport to and from Lithuania. This is a perfect example of how traffic can be moved from roads to ecologically advantageous sea routes”, said Dirk Claus. In the container transport sector, well over 10,000 TEUs were handled in the first half of 2010 – more than twice as many as in the same period of last year.

In Kiel Stadthafen, work on revamping the quaysides at the Schwedenkai Terminal is currently in full swing. The facility will meet the demands of the new Stena Line ferries when they come into service in September on the Kiel – Gothenburg route. Despite the construction work, Schwedenkai itself also managed to increase its handling volume in the first half year, by more than 7%. The new Stena ferries are among the biggest RoPax carriers in the world and will contribute to an additional boost in cargo handling in the second half of the year. With this in mind, intermodal rail/ship traffic is being re-introduced at Schwedenkai and rail track facilities there are being revamped.

The SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG operates Kiel’s commercial port on behalf of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital of Kiel, of which it is a 100% subsidiary. The commercial port consists of the Canal ports, the Stadthafen and the Ostuferhafen. The Nordhafen and the Scheerhafen on the Kiel Canal import mainly bulk goods like fuels and building materials for distribution to regional markets and export agricultural products. The Stadthafen boasts quayside facilities for ferry traffic with Scandinavia as well as the cruise shipping terminal Ostseekai. The Ostuferhafen, which is the Kiel Fiord’s freight hub, is home to liner shipping services to and from the eastern Baltic and Russia and also handles containers and bulk cargo.