Container segment

In the first nine months of 2025, container throughput at HHLA’s container terminals made good progress with significant year-on-year growth of 6.7 % to 4,798 thousand standard containers (TEU) (previous year: 4,496 thousand TEU).

Throughput volume at the Hamburg container terminals was 4,548 thousand TEU, up 6.0 % on the same period last year (previous year: 4,292 thousand TEU). While overseas traffic volumes for the North America shipping region declined strongly and fell moderately for the Middle East shipping region, there was significant volume growth for the Far East – especially China – as well as the South America and Africa shipping regions. Substantially higher cargo volumes were also recorded for other European seaports, especially from Belgium, the UK, France and the Netherlands. This was due to temporary route adjustments – which continue to apply – caused by the military conflict in the Red Sea. There was strong year-on-year growth in feeder traffic volumes. In addition to Finnish traffic, there was also a strong rise in container throughput with Poland, as well as with other German ports. By contrast, cargo volumes from Estonia and Latvia were down. The proportion of seaborne handling by feeders amounted to 19.6 % (previous year: 19.0 %).

The international container terminals reported a strong rise in throughput volume of 23.1 % to 250 thousand TEU (previous year: 203 thousand TEU). In addition to increased volumes at HHLA PLT Italy, this was due in particular to the resumption of seaborne handling at Container Terminal Odessa (CTO) in the third quarter of 2024. Seaborne handling volumes at the multifunctional terminal HHLA TK Estonia also rose slightly.

Segment revenue rose strongly by 11.0 % to € 641.8 million in the reporting period (previous year: € 578.1 million), mainly as a result of the higher throughput volume. The positive trend at HHLA’s international container terminals also contributed to the increase in revenue. This was driven in particular by the positive volume and revenue trend in Trieste and increased storage fees at the multifunctional terminal in Tallinn, as well as by the resumption of seaborne handling at CTO. The main opposing effects resulted from grain shipping revenues at CTO, which were very high in 2024 but comparatively low in the current year.

There was a net increase in other operating income and expenses included in the operating result (together defined as EBIT costs) of 10.2 % in the reporting period. This increase was due in part to the positive development of throughput volumes. There was a particularly strong increase in personnel expenses due to union-negotiated wage settlements and the additional deployment of employees from the GHB pool. Expenses for consultancy and services, as well as higher expenses for purchased services, were also substantially above the prior-year level. Depreciation and amortisation expenses also rose moderately due to necessary capital expenditure. The main opposing effects resulted from measures introduced in March 2023 to safeguard earnings at the Hamburg container terminals, as well as further extensive transformation processes within the Container segment.

Buoyed by volume and revenue growth, the operating result (EBIT) rose by 18.3 % to € 60.4 million (previous year: € 51.0 million). The EBIT margin improved by 0.6 percentage points to 9.4 % (previous year: 8.8 %).

To enhance its energy and cost efficiency, HHLA continued its investments in climate-friendly and state-of-the-art terminal technology. At Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), work to replace three container gantry cranes continued to make good progress. A second order is also under construction. Work on expanding the infrastructure for the electrification of tractor units was completed. Ten of the 19 zero-emission vehicles ordered have already been delivered and put into operation. The remainder will follow in the next quarter. The highly automated rail gantry crane ordered last year was assembled and is currently being put into operation. Preparations are under way to retire the existing AGV control system (AGV – automated guided vehicle) in 2026. At Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB), automated blocks 25 to 27 have now been put into operation. Work is currently under way on blocks 28 and 29, and construction work on the AGV area continued. At Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT), a hydrogen-powered van carrier was delivered, which will be tested under operating conditions in the near future. A second rotating spreader for project cargo was also delivered.