The Eurogate Group handled a total of 14,610,609 TEUs in 2016, an increase of just 0.4% over 2015, according to statistics released by the German container terminal operator.

The company said that, despite a promising start in the first six months of the year, turbulence in the shipping industry affected the performance in the second half.

Eurogate’s terminal at Germany’s deepsea port of Wilhelmshaven registered the highest growth, having handled 12.9% more containers than in 2015, but the overall volume across its three German terminals remained flat.

“We are looking expectantly and confidently ahead to 2017, a year that will bring many changes,” said Michael Blach, new chairman of the management board at the Eurogate Group since January 1, 2017. “The shipping lines have formed new alliances. We view this optimistically. For with its three North German terminals, Eurogate is excellently positioned to meet the requirements of the major shipping alliances and their mega container ships. This is not only key for the company, but for the entire North German coastal region. Our goal is clear: to successfully position ourselves in this intensely competitive environment.”