Hamburg (Port)

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HVCC And Kotug Smit Towage Optimise Conditions Of Entry At Port Of Hamburg

Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center (HVCC) and tug shipping company Kotug Smit Towage will in future work closely together at the Port of Hamburg in order to coordinate preliminary planning for ship calls and departures, and the associated tug services. This step will further optimise the efficiency and quality of ship handling in the Port of Hamburg. Kotug Smit Towage is the first port service provider that will have access to the Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center’s time-related and geographically extensive planning system. Gerald Hirt, Managing Director of HVCC, comments, “Our cooperation with Kotug Smit marks an important milestone in the continued development of HVCC’s partner portfolio. We believe the comprehensive network and data exchange within the port industry offers enormous potential for increased efficiency in the Port of Hamburg.”

Fairway adjustment on the Lower and Outer Elbe

The dispute regarding the fairway adjustment on the Lower and Outer Elbe is one of the most comprehensive court cases against an infrastructure project that has ever been brought before the Federal Administrative Court. And considering the complex European environment regulations, in many areas this involved virgin legal territory. Today it is clear that the third supplementary planning decision will also be legally challenged by the associations. However, the claimant environment associations have not applied for a court injunction. This means that despite the legal action, planning permission stands. The work that has already begun, and the tendering already commenced, will continue as planned. The deepening and widening work will go ahead on schedule in March. Senator Frank Horch says: “Even though the dispute is now going to continue, I am convinced that we have long since found a good balance between economic and ecological interests. I am, moreover, also convinced that the remaining concerns expressed by the Court have been very carefully handled and eliminated. The Port of Hamburg is and will remain a central economic motor, which here alone in North Germany provides more than 150,000 jobs. As an important global port, it serves as a hub for international goods transport for Germany and Europe. We are now able to enhance this position.”

HHLA improves operating result

In the first half of 2018, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) improved on the already strong prior-year result. Both Group revenue and the Group operating result increased slightly in the first six months against the same period of the previous year, which was already very strong. This development was driven by both subgroups, the listed Port Logistics subgroup and the Real Estate subgroup. A 1.2 percent increase in container throughput was recorded. As projected, container transport declined by 4.2 percent on account of the realignment of Polzug activities following its successful integration into the Metrans group. Revenue in the Port Logistics subgroup was up by 1.6 percent.