May 20 - In the first quarter of 2014 total throughput in the Port of Hamburg reached 35.6 million tonnes, representing 8.6 percent growth.
General cargo throughput grew by 10.8 percent at 25.2 million tonnes, while bulk cargo throughput climbed 3.5 percent to 10.4 million tonnes.
Although success was powered mainly by container throughput at 2.4 million teu in the first three months of the year, the Port of Hamburg also posted a 5.9 percent rise in non-containerised general cargo handled at its terminals.
The port explained that the non-containerised cargoes it handles primarily consist of project shipments from plant and machinery manufacturers, vehicles handled at ro-ro facilities, iron and steel, and paper and timber.
Commenting on the growth rate of 8.6 percent at the presentation of the Port of Hamburg's quarterly results, Axel Mattern, ceo of Port of Hamburg Marketing said: "Against the background of the current situation on building sites within the port, in the Elbe tunnel and on the A7 autobahn, which have especially affected truck traffic for limited periods, that is a striking achievement on throughput."
