With seaborne cargo throughput of 121 million tons, in 2010 around 11 million tons more cargo were handled in the Port of Hamburg than in the previous year. Rising by 12.7% to 7.9 million TEU (20-foot standard containers), container handling picked up strongly. Along with containerized general cargoes, imports and exports of bulk cargoes remain of great importance for the universal port of Hamburg.

In this segment Hamburg achieved a 9.5 percent upswing to 40.3 million tons. Given a continued positive development of the world economy and the related stabilization and increase of worldwide goods transport by ocean-going ships, for 2011 the Port of Hamburg anticipates distinct growth in seaborne cargo handling. Positive development of the economy continues to underline Hamburg’s role as Northern Europe’s top distribution hub in container transport. This is based on the one hand on the high proportion of local cargo, and on the other on its outstandingly effectively developed transport links with the hinterland of German and European seaports. Whether by truck, rail, feeder or inland waterway craft, its network of pre- and post-carriage services makes Hamburg Northern Europe’s foremost hub for seaborne foreign trade.