The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) is planning to introduce a new port fee system in the summer of 2011. At the same time, the institution will not increase fees in January 2011; port dues will remain at the same level as they currently are. Beginning in the summer, turnover will also be considered when calculating the port dues which so far have been solely based on a ship’s size. In taking this step, the HPA is meeting the demand of shipping companies and ship brokers to use handling volumes as a criterion to calculate port dues as it is already done in Rotterdam, for instance.

“We will all benefit from that. In boom times, the port’s revenues will rise and in times of crisis, customers of our port will save costs as port dues will be lower,” explains the HPA’s managing director, Jens Meier.

At the moment, talks are being held with harbour and shipping associations as well as the chamber of commerce. In a two-step process, first the preparatory measures required will be discussed and agreed upon and then, in the spring, a joint implementation concept will be worked out. From February 1st, amended terms and conditions of business will come into force so that the new system will be effective in the summer. “Right now, we are discussing with the associations how to transfer data. Based on the outcome we will work out the tariff,” says Meier.

Environmental discount on port dues in Hamburg
Along with the planned charging system changes, the HPA will introduce an environmental discount on port dues. At the beginning of 2011, Hamburg will launch a test and observation phase and in the summer of 2011, the environment will play a bigger role in the calculation of port dues to encourage the deployment of environmentally friendly ships. The basis of assessment will be the Environmental Ship Index (ESI) - an international standard that allows the comparison of emissions by ships.