WIESBADEN. Despite a challenging market environment, German seaports increased the volume of import and export transshipment in 2024. As announced by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) in March, around 274 million tonnes passed through the quays last year, equivalent to growth of a good 2.3 per cent compared to 2023. Despite this growth, we have not yet reached the level of transshipment of the pre-coronavirus year 2019. Total volume in 2024 was 6.7 per cent below this historical best record from 2019, when 293.5 million tonnes were loaded or discharged. The most important partner country in German foreign trade by sea in 2024 was the US with 29.8 million tonnes (up by 6.7 per cent). According to Angela Titzrath, President of the Association of German Seaport Operators (ZDS), the 2024 results reveal that “Germany, with its diverse port landscape, is well positioned to accommodate a whole host of requirements”. The national ports therefore play “a central role” in the German economy, she says.
Credits: HHLA/Nele Martensen
