836th PORT ANNIVERSARY HAMBURG 2025
The World's Largest Port Festival
From May 9 to 11, Hamburg hosted the 836th HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG. During this spectacular maritime celebration, the River Elbe transforms into a grand stage, and the harbor promenade bursts into life with vibrant festivities. From majestic cruise liners and lovingly restored museum ships to towering tall ships and impressive service vessels, an extraordinary array of watercraft will take part in breathtaking parades. A standout highlight is the world-renowned Tugboat Ballet, where powerful tugboats perform a surprisingly graceful “dance” across the water — a one-of-a-kind spectacle you won’t want to miss! For three unforgettable days, visitors of all ages were able to dive into the magic of the maritime world, get up close with fascinating vessels, and experience Hamburg’s proud seafaring tradition like never before.
Event details 2026
| Start | 8 May, 2026, 10:00 am |
| End | 10 May, 2026, 9:00 pm |
| Organiser | Department of Economic Affairs and Innovation |
| Press and Marketing | Hamburg Messe und Congress |
10:00 am – 12:00 midnight
Colourful Harbour Mile
11:00 am – 12:00 noon
International Ecumenical Opening Service at St. Michael’s Church – the traditional start of the Harbour Birthday celebrations.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Opening Parade: A spectacular procession featuring cruise ships, tall ships, naval vessels, harbour launches, and many more traditional ships between Blankenese and the Landungsbrücken.
3:45 pm – 4:15 pm
Demonstration cruise of motor and sailing yachts, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
5:15 pm – 5:45 pm
Demonstration by high-seas tugs Elbe and Holland (museum ships), St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
6:15 pm – 7:00 pm
Water-ski show – Pirates and Mermaids, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
7:45 pm – 9:45 pm
Elbe in Concert: The true spirit of the port
10:00 am – 12:00 midnight
Colourful Harbour Mile
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Christening of the hybrid patrol boats of the Hamburg Fleet, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
12:45 pm – 1:00 pm
Parade of traditional ships from the Elbphilharmonie (12:45 pm) to the Oevelgönne Museum Harbour (1:15 pm)
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Parade of DLRG vessels celebrating the organisation’s 100th anniversary, showcasing its wide range of operations and the dedication of its volunteer water rescue and disaster response teams
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Return of traditional and museum ships, Landungsbrücken pier
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
SOS Joint Rescue Operations: Simulated rescue mission with emergency crews in action on water and in the air, Landungsbrücken pier
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Introductory rowing (Wrigging) at the Oevelgönne Museum Harbour
3:45 pm – 4:25 pm
The Tugboat Ballet is one of the festival highlights! Tugboats with up to 3,000 horsepower perform a choreographed dance in front of the Landungsbrücken pier
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm
Festmacher boat race – a test of speed and skill, Landungsbrücken pier
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Demonstration cruise of motor and sailing yachts, Landungsbrücken pier
6:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Three generations of HADAG harbour ferries show off their manoeuvrability in a live demonstration, Landungsbrücken pier
7:30 pm – 8:15 pm
Water-ski show – Pirates and Mermaids, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Elbe in Concert: Happy Birthday, Port of Hamburg!
10:45 pm – 11:00 pm
Grand fireworks display from the floating stage in front of the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Colourful Harbour Mile
10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Hamburg Wrigging Championship, Oevelgönne Museum Harbour
10:10 am – 10:30 am
THW (Federal Agency for Technical Relief) demonstration: Rescuing people from flooded areas, Landungsbrücken pier
10:45 am – 11:30 am
Maritime safety at sea: Capabilities of the Federal Police, featuring operational vessels and a helicopter
1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
SOS Joint Rescue Operations: Simulated rescue mission with emergency services in action on water and in the air, Landungsbrücken pier
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Demonstration cruise of motor and sailing yachts, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Just before the departure parade, the Dar Młodzieży performs a sailing manoeuvre
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Departure Parade between St. Pauli Landungsbrücken pier and Teufelsbrück
Interactive port map - all highlights at a glance
The 836th HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG offered a packed programme! From the historic Speicherstadt to Övelgönne, the Hanseatic city came together to celebrate its port. The interactive port map gives you a clear overview of all the key locations, so you won’t miss a single highlight. It helps you navigate smoothly between the various events — whether on land, on the water, on stage, or even on board a ship. Just click on an icon to see what’s happening, where, and when at each location.
Would you prefer to watch the ships arriving in Hamburg for the HAFENGEBURTSTAG? No problem! The harbour map also shows you the current positions of ships and where the ferries depart. Pro tip: With the Port of Hamburg App, you can scan the harbour area at any time and instantly get detailed profiles of the ships in your line of sight.
836th Port Anniversary
- Toggle all filtersWater programStagesOpen ShipInfo pointKids & FamilyFerries/DeparturesOnshore program
Vessels
- No resultsToggle all filtersCargo shipsPassenger shipsTankshipsOther vesselsBerths
Port Traffic
All participating ships of the Hafengeburtstag
Discover the impressive variety of ships taking part in the Port Anniversary! From majestic cruise ships and proud tall ships to lovingly preserved traditional ships and robust tugs to historic lightships, former cargo ships and coast guard and navy units - here you can experience maritime diversity up close.
Use our practical filter function to search the ships by category, ship length or directly by name.
Click on the ship you are interested in to get exciting details and interesting information.
