Page 3 - Port of Hamburg | Port of Hamburg Magazine 1.2022
P. 3

 CONTAINER WORLDS ■
 Dear Readers,
Barely any other success story is as compelling as the container’s. Admit- tedly, inventor Malcolm McLean first had to found his own shipping compa- ny and refit vessels in such a way that containers could be stacked secure- ly. Yet he was so convinced about his scheme that he spared himself no effort and persevered with the box.
In Hamburg, the container era com-
menced with the call by the ‘American
Lancer’ in 1968. Helmuth Kern, then
Hamburg’s Minister of Economics, had
forcefully argued for the expansion of
Burchhardkai as a container terminal.
We can, in retrospect, be thankful to
him that he prevailed. Today, the Port
of Hamburg is Germany’s largest uni-
versal port. In Europe, it actually holds
third place. To keep it there, terminal
operators and port service providers
are working extremely hard to modernize their operations. Digitalization and automation are two crucial aspects that are increasingly coming to the fore.
Yet one container does not necessarily match another. For secure and ef- ficient transport of all manner of freight, there are now more than a dozen types. The Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units is one factor providing security. This official IMO – International Maritime Organ- ization (IMO) manual provides clear pointers. The book concerns not just securing the box on the ship. How to secure the freight in the container is also explained. Some companies in the Port of Hamburg have specialized in correctly stuffing containers of different types. Other inventive companies are in process of designing a container so that when empty, it occupies as little space as possible.
Seagoing ships and ports form only one link in the entire supply chain. In- land waterway craft, trains and trucks look after pre- and post-voyage runs inland. Here again, companies are improving their processes and refitting their carriers to be more climate-friendly.
You will find several fascinating articles about the container in the pages that follow. I wish you much enjoyment when reading them. Stay curious!
AXEL MATTERN
CEO Port of Hamburg Marketing
 © HHM / Achim Multhaupt













































































   1   2   3   4   5