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SCMP Reporter

CARGO throughput at Hamburg port rose 6.3 per cent to 35.7 million tonnes in the first six months of this year, higher than any other port in the North Sea region.

  Bulk cargo turnover rose 7.7 per cent and general cargo five per cent.

  The results were achieved despite a fall in incoming liquid cargoes, down 10.3 per cent, owing to a rise in the volume of suction cargo, which rose 20 per cent and grab cargo handled, which was up 21.6 per cent.

   For the first time since 1991, bulk increased faster than general cargo - further proof of the port of Hamburg's universal character.

  Imports of soya bean and rape rose strongly in the first six months and oilseed was up 142,000 tonnes. Exports of grain were up 379,000 tonnes or 42.5 per cent.

  The reasons cited were price shifts, which led German oil mills to use more imported rape, high demand for grain on the world market and cuts in the levels of European Union (EU) intervention stocks.

  Besides, large quantities of grain were exported from Germany to Spain where drought hit last year's harvest.

  In the first six months of this year, grab cargo turnover rose more than 20 per cent.

  Imports were 34.7 per cent up on the year with the growth brought about by higher steel output in Hamburg and Lower Saxony, leading to more iron-ore imports and higher coal imports by power firms.

  In the first half general cargo turnover rose five per cent, to reach 18 million tonnes.

  Of this, 14.5 million tonnes were accounted for by containerised cargoes, up 6.2 per cent on the same period last year, and 3.5 million tonnes by conventional and roll-on, roll-off cargoes which were up 0.3 per cent.

  The containerisation rate in Hamburg port exceeded 80 per cent.

  In all 1.4 million teus (20-foot equivalent units) were handled in the first six months, up 6.7 per cent.

  The rise in the value of the deutschemark in the first half of this year led to slackening of growth rates for containerised exports but also to an acceleration of import growth, particularly on Hamburg's most important trading routes, East Asia.

  Once again, they saw the largest rises in quantity and accounted for over half of imports.

  The largest single quantitative rise in absolute terms was recorded on the East-Asia North routes, up 28,555 teus or 7.3 per cent.

  High growth rates in container traffic were also evident on the North America (East Coast) routes, up over 30 per cent, South America, (east coast) and South Africa - both up over 20 per cent.

  On the North American routes Evergreen's use of larger ships with larger cargo carrying capacities had a positive impact.

  South American traffic profited from the continuing foreign-trade boom in Brazil and Argentina. Rises in South African imports were responsible for growth on these routes.

  A spokesman for the Port of Hamburg Marketing and Public Relations (HHVW) said although exports on most trade routes had been affected, imports continued to do well. Last year's turnover growth would not be equalled this year, but by 2000, container turnover would have reached its forecast total of over four million teus.



More cargo for Hamburg port