The Port of Hamburg has seen the volume of goods handled drop 21.7 per cent to 27.32m tonnes during the first quarter (Q1) of 2009, with imports down 22.6 per cent to 15.75m tonnes and exports falling 20.4 per cent to 11.57m tonnes on a year-on-year basis.
General cargo handling was badly hit by the global economic slowdown, according to a Port statement, down 26.2 per cent to 18.45m tonnes, with the number of containers handled falling 24.3 per cent compared with 2008 to 1.86m TEUs.
'Results for the first quarter of 2009 found the Port well prepared in most respects, seeing that the fourth quarter of 2008 had already clearly shown the effects of the worldwide financial and economic crisis,' said Port of Hamburg marketing chairman Claudia Roller. 'But we can now state that since the beginning of the year the transporting of general cargo has started to increase once more, and the same has been true of bulk goods since March.'
China remained the Port of Hamburg's leading trade partner during the quarter, with one in three containers handled either going to or coming from the country. However, China's trade with Europe fell 20.2 per cent in February and 19.3 per cent in March – figures that contributed to the Port's negative results.
The were some positives to come out of the quarter, according to Ms Roller, who said that the handling of general cargo in connection with project and heavy lift cargo increased 33.2 per cent to 59,000 tonnes.
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