The Port of Hamburg reported a stronger throughput performance in 2025, with growth in its container business offsetting weaker results in bulk cargo and helping Germany's largest seaport post an overall increase for the year.

Total throughput reached 114.6 million tonnes for last year, up 2.6% year-on-year. The port attributed the significant upturn in the performance of its container segment.

Throughput rose to 8.3 million TEU, a 7.3% increase supported by higher volumes in every quarter. Measured by tonnage, container throughput grew 4.6%, with all four quarters posting year‑on‑year gains: Q1 up 6.3%, Q2 up 12.4%, Q3 up 6.7% and Q4 up 3.9%.

Traffic with China, India and Southeast Asia contributed most to the upturn, while flows with the United States fell sharply amid sweeping U.S. tariffs. Northern Europe trades also expanded, reflecting stronger transshipment activity.

Port of Hamburg said traffic with China rose 6.5%, Malaysia (+84.3%) and India (+49.2%). The Northern Europe trade lane (Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden) – an important contributor to transshipment transport – also showed a positive trend and recorded growth of 21.2%.

Meanwhile, container throughput with the U.S. declined, among other factors, due to sweeping U.S. tariffs introduced by Washington in 2025 which led to a significant decline of 25.6% last year.

Bulk cargo also moved in the opposite direction. Throughput in the segment slipped 1.7% to 32.4 million tonnes, weighed down by a steep drop in grain exports and lower volumes of fertilisers and ores. Liquid bulk edged up slightly, and building materials, chemicals and other dry goods posted notable increases, but quarterly results showed a volatile year.

Friedrich Stuhrmann, chief commercial officer at HPA, said: "We can look back on a successful year in 2025 at the Port of Hamburg. As Germany's largest seaport, we were able to continue our positive development and record noticeable growth momentum, especially in the container segment."

He said that the continuous increase across all quarters underscores the location's strong competitiveness and the vigorous demand in international goods traffic.

Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, said the year's results underline Hamburg's competitiveness, with India emerging as a standout growth driver following the new EU‑India trade agreement.

"The positive throughput result is clearly indicative of the Port of Hamburg's competitiveness and the attractiveness of the services offered here. We feel particularly positive about the almost 50% increase in container throughput with India, which has emerged from the free trade agreement now signed between the EU and India."

"The timing of this week's trip to India by a business and port delegation led by Senator Leonhard could hardly have been better and will continue to promote Hamburg's economic relationships with the subcontinent," he added.