Further education

The growing degree of automation in maritime logistics, the ability to manage dynamic transport volumes and the increasing significance of information flows accompanying goods due to innovation in interface organisation and process handling are all increasing the required skill sets for employees at all levels.

HHLA’s personnel development measures aim to prepare and equip HHLA employees with the skills to meet current and future challenges by offering programmes and training courses for continuous professional and skills development, and to create a learning environment that promotes interdisciplinary cooperation, satisfaction and employability. The Head of Personnel Development reports directly to HHLA’s Chief Human Resources Officer. In general, HHLA’s very heterogeneous employee groups require training programmes that are tailored to the specific needs of the target groups concerned.

Targeted investments in employee training can not only boost productivity and strengthen networking within the company, but also increase operational readiness and flexibility by expanding the range of skills available within the workforce.

Actions

Ongoing training measures at the HHLA companies in Hamburg include:

Training staff (“Fit for the world of tomorrow”)

• HHLA offers a widely accessible range of seminars on the “Lernen@HHLA” learning portal as well as individual advisory services to ensure all employees receive training tailored to their needs. The programme contains both mandatory seminars and e-learnings, on topics such as occupational health and safety, compliance and IT security, as well as optional seminars which employees can attend if they so choose. This enhances self-directed learning.

• The joint projects “Portskill 4.0” and “DigiRemote” are being implemented for port employees and employees working in port-related roles in Hamburg. These initiatives are designed to anticipate changes in operational and related administrative port work and adapt qualification requirements in good time.

Promoting networking and cooperation

• Programmes such as the International Leadership Programme, “Leading in Networks” and programmes for up-and-coming talent empower managers and foster cooperation across departments.

• In 2025, 28 workshops and trainings were held with managers as part of the CTX programme. The aim was to develop a common understanding of leadership in the Container segment across all three Hamburg sites as well as the organisational units.

Extensive training of the affected HHLA employees is essential if the company is to take optimum advantage of the opportunities associated with the CTX programme. HHLA’s Personnel Development Department at the Hamburg location is closely monitoring the current implementation of the new organisational structure and offering various measures to help with the transformation phase, including team workshops, coaching and advisory services.

All of the measures specified below have been in implementation since March 2025, following the conclusion of the CTX collective bargaining negotiations, and will continue in 2026. In the reporting period, these included:

Workshops and trainings for managers in the Container segment

• All managers from the Development, Planning and Administration, Handling and Engineering Organisational Units took part in workshops and individual appraisal interviews to assist employees at the Hamburg location during the change process. Events took place on a total of 45 days during the reporting period, with 86 people taking part.

Training for operational employees for deployment across different terminals

• The company trained operational employees in particular for deployment across multiple terminal locations - for example, in handling different carriers and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) at the CTB.

• The gradual training of port workers at the CTA, CTB and CTT terminal locations serves to safeguard long-term employment in the context of automation projects, for example, by training straddle carrier drivers to operate other heavy equipment.

Training in line with needs as part of the transformation process (CTX)

• Structured onboarding processes in particular ensure that all employees are supported during the transformation process and are given the skills they need for new or changing tasks.

• This was implemented for employees in the Planning & Administration and Handling Departments (companies within the jointly run operation: Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft, HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder GmbH, HHLA Container Terminal Burchardkai GmbH, HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort GmbH, Kombi-Transeuropa Terminal Hamburg GmbH) and for the Development Department at HHLA AG and HHLA Container Technik GmbH (previously: SCA Service Center Altenwerder GmbH).

These recurring measures allow HHLA to ensure that internal skills acquisition is in line with the common strategic objective and reinforces a long-term culture of learning. Corporate and sustainability strategy

In total, employees in the HHLA Group completed an average of 15.4 training hours in the reporting period. It is important to note that, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, no training measures can currently be conducted there, which has a negative impact on the average value for the HHLA Group as a whole.

Objective

In order to promote employee development, HHLA PLT Italy set itself the objective of increasing the share of conduct-related and soft skills trainings from 21 % of non-mandatory training hours in 2024 to 30 % in 2025, and from 4.8% to 5.0% of total training hours. This objective was set in March 2025 as part of the ISO 9001 certification process in consultation with external auditors. No other stakeholders were involved. The scope of application encompasses all the company’s employees, with a focus on managers and operational staff. The training activities are being conducted primarily in Italy (headquarters in Trieste).

In the reporting period, the number of training hours at HHLA PLT Italy rose by 69.4 % to 11,529 (previous year: 6,806). The share of conduct-related and soft skills trainings was 43.4 % of non-mandatory training hours (previous year: 20.6 %) and 5.1% of total training hours (previous year: 4.8 %).

Dialogue with workers’ representatives

Co-determination and negotiations of employee interests in the spirit of social partnership have a long tradition at HHLA and its subsidiaries. In addition to Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, several of its subsidiaries in Germany are managed on the basis of co-determination.

These are represented by a total of nine works council committees and the HHLA Group Works Council. There is also employee representation (including that of the senior staff) on the Supervisory Board, which is composed equally of men and women, and representation for disabled people at the company and Group level.

In order to compensate for the under-representation of women in the works council, which is typical in this sector, the minority gender in Germany is represented on the works council in accordance with its relative numerical strength in accordance with Section 15 (2) of the German Works Constitution Act (BetrVG).

In accordance with the statutory requirements set out in the Works Constitution Act, employee representatives in Germany are involved in relevant issues in a timely manner via the responsible works council. The phases in which the works council is involved as well as the nature and frequency of its involvement are governed by the works council’s rights and the deadlines set out in the Works Constitution Act.

Right to refuse consent: In specific cases, such as recruitment, transfers and dismissals, the works council can refuse to grant its consent if it believes that statutory or collective bargaining provisions are being violated. Further opportunities for involvement are created at the works council’s request.

Employees are also involved directly or via worker representatives, if necessary, on a case-by-case basis in the context of the management of potential and actual impacts.

In principle, the Chief Human Resources Officer is responsible for taking employee perspectives into account when developing corporate strategies. The Chief Human Resources Officer is a member of the HHLA Executive Board.

The container terminals abroad, namely HHLA PLT Italy, Container Terminal Odessa, HHLA TK Estonia and six METRANS subsidiaries also have works councils and engage in regular dialogue with management, which is responsible for taking employee perspectives into account. Regular formal meetings extending beyond the minimum statutory requirements are held with trade union representatives and workers’ representatives at HHLA PLT Italy. Meetings with all employees are held at least quarterly to discuss general issues. An extended management meeting is held every month to discuss the current state of affairs at the company and the status of its projects. The nature and frequency of employee engagement depends on the type of decision or activity. In accordance with applicable employment legislation, the management at Container Terminal Odessa must negotiate and agree with the union on all significant changes affecting employees, such as changes to working hours, shortening/extending breaks between shifts or working on days off. The elected employee representative and the union representative at HHLA TK Estonia meet with the Managing Director at least twice a year or more frequently to discuss topics that are important to both sides. Under Estonian labour law, employees elect an employee representative to represent their interests in relations with the employer, especially regarding workplace safety, employment terms and compliance with labour law. These meetings are held both on the basis of statutory provisions and on the initiative of the management. At the METRANS Group, the involvement of works councils is based on discussions/comments and suggestions put forward by employees A meeting between the works council and the management takes place every three months, with the individuals involved able to request who is to participate.