Throughput volumes in the ports of Bremen remained largely stable in the first half of 2018. “The ports in Bremen and Bremerhaven were able to hold their ground well in a tough European competition,” says Martin Günthner, Senator for Economics, Labor and Ports. “Both the slightly positive development in the area of container volume and the still high level of automobile throughput are pleasing. In addition, we see a consistently good situation in general cargo business.”
Container throughput in the first half of the year was more than 2.72 million TEU. Compared to the same period of the previous year, this means an increase in turnover of 0.7 per cent. In the past two months in particular, handling at the container quay in Bremerhaven has increased significantly. The automobile throughput is still at a high level. By the end of June, 1.1 million vehicles had been handled. Thus, RORO throughput is currently 1.4 per cent below the half-year value of 2017.
There was a significant decline in the volume of bulk goods (-28.7%) and, in particular of coal (-40.1%) and ores (-12.9%). As a result of this decline, around one million tonnes (-15.2%) of the port facilities in Bremen City were less crowded in the first half of the year. On the contrary, general cargo handling rose by 4.7 per cent. What is striking, is the increase in iron and steel by 25.3 per cent to 1,266,000 tonnes.
The total turnover at the port facilities in Bremerhaven and Bremen remained at the previous year’s level (-0.1%). In total, 36.5 million tonnes were handled. Also, the number of merchant ships, which called the quays in the state of Bremen from January to June 2018, is stable at 3.471 compared to 3.474 in the first half of 2017.
