Port of Hamburg consolidates role in Austria
04 Apr 2017 10:38 Economy
With record total volume of 296,000 TEU in 2016, the Port of Hamburg remains Austria’s most important trading partner in containerized shipping. Alexander Till, Manager of the Port of Hamburg Representative Office in Vienna, is convinced that the trend will also continue this year: ‘Following many discussions with Austrian decision-makers in the first quarter, one may say that 2017 too will again be a successful year for the Port of Hamburg in Austria.’
The background for this view is that more and more decision-makers are realizing that 98 percent of shipments to and from Austria via Hamburg are being handled by environment-friendly rail. ‘At a time when ecological footprint per container is of growing importance, this gives the Port of Hamburg a crucial competitive advantage,’ states an optimistic Alexander Till.
Overall, around 42 percent of Austrian container volume is handled on services via Hamburg. Looking at the general situation on the Austrian seaborne and intermodal freight market, this is an especially gratifying situation. ‘Its central geographical location makes the Austrian market hotly contested among several European ports. In recent years, the Southern ports, especially, have managed to increase their market shares. Even in this challenging market environment, the Port of Hamburg has invariably proved able to defend its dominant role,’ explains Alexander Till.
Among the contributory factors are its excellent rail links, the dense departure frequency of daily container block trains, as well as the Port of Hamburg’s high number of direct worldwide liner services. Backed up by Port of Hamburg Marketing’s activities, numerous business links with the Austrian sea freight sector have also thrived for many years. The Vienna Representative Office’s marketing activities are reflected in the organization over the last ten years of more than 30 Austria-wide workshops that are also recognized outside Austria. For leading representatives of politics and business, for example, HHM organizes comprehensive tours of the Port of Hamburg, the latest example being one for a delegation from the Federation of Austrian Industry last year.
The background for this view is that more and more decision-makers are realizing that 98 percent of shipments to and from Austria via Hamburg are being handled by environment-friendly rail. ‘At a time when ecological footprint per container is of growing importance, this gives the Port of Hamburg a crucial competitive advantage,’ states an optimistic Alexander Till.
Overall, around 42 percent of Austrian container volume is handled on services via Hamburg. Looking at the general situation on the Austrian seaborne and intermodal freight market, this is an especially gratifying situation. ‘Its central geographical location makes the Austrian market hotly contested among several European ports. In recent years, the Southern ports, especially, have managed to increase their market shares. Even in this challenging market environment, the Port of Hamburg has invariably proved able to defend its dominant role,’ explains Alexander Till.
Among the contributory factors are its excellent rail links, the dense departure frequency of daily container block trains, as well as the Port of Hamburg’s high number of direct worldwide liner services. Backed up by Port of Hamburg Marketing’s activities, numerous business links with the Austrian sea freight sector have also thrived for many years. The Vienna Representative Office’s marketing activities are reflected in the organization over the last ten years of more than 30 Austria-wide workshops that are also recognized outside Austria. For leading representatives of politics and business, for example, HHM organizes comprehensive tours of the Port of Hamburg, the latest example being one for a delegation from the Federation of Austrian Industry last year.
Around 42 percent of Austrian container volume is handled on services via Hamburg.