Port of Hamburg said the consequences of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic impacted the port's 2020 throughput although an upward trend was recorded beginning the third quarter of last year and hinterland traffic remains "largely stable."

In a statement, it said seaborne cargo throughput in the Port of Hamburg performed better than expected in the fourth quarter, increasing by 3% compared to its year-ago level but total throughput last year amounted to 126.3 million tons or 7.6% below the high total of 136.6 million tons reached in the previous year — noting that COVID-19 "had particularly serious effects on the Port of Hamburg in the first half."

“The first six months were notable for reduced activity in many areas of the economy, weaker consumer demand, and a reduction in liner service sailings. In Hamburg, this caused a double-digit downturn in throughput. We are delighted that the second half brought a turnaround, with the total throughput in 2020 showing only a single-digit minus,” explained Axel Mattern, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM).

The Port said both general cargo and bulk cargo were down 7.9% and 6.7% respectively last year. In container handling, the 2020 total of 8.5 million TEU (20-ft standard containers) was also 7.9% below the previous year’s volume.

“The sharp decline in imports from Asia in the first half of the year was one reason for this. The very stable trend in landside hinterland traffic is also notable, decreasing only 5.8%. At 11.6%, the downturn in transhipment handling was steeper,” Mattern said.

Within the bulk cargo segment, agribulk developed positively with grain export as the main factor behind this growth. The growth in oilseed imports also boosted these gains.

Meanwhile, decreases in steel output and coal-fired power generation led to downturns in imports of coal.

Trade from China slows, grows with the US

In its statement, Port of Hamburg noted that an 8.2% decline in seaborne container throughput for China, Hamburg’s top trading partner by far, which it said "could not be offset by the positive development in trade with other regions." It also recorded a decline in trade with Russia, Sweden, South Korea, Brazil and Poland.

Increased container traffic was seen in the US, Singapore, UK and Malaysia — with the US reaching a "new record" of 591,000 TEU in 2020.

“The ongoing positive trend in container shipping to and from the USA is surprising, particularly against the background of the negative effects of the coronavirus on economic output and the falling demand there. The positive trend in container shipping for the United Kingdom, reaching a new record of 266,000 TEU, is due to an upturn in shipments for the German market and increased deliveries to the UK pre-Brexit,” Ingo Egloff of the port's Executive Board added.

Prospects for 2021

Port of Hamburg noted that this year it "anticipates a generally more stable trend in seaborne cargo throughput."

"With the resumption of suspended liner sailings and additional new services, throughput of 130 million tons and 8.7 million TEU should be attainable in what we hope will be an improving global situation," it said.