Author: Theresa Linder

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) used the grand stage of the Hamburg Port Anniversary to launch a spectacular anniversary campaign. It took its 140th birthday as an opportunity to showcase its European network. A bright blue container made its way across Europe, becoming a symbol of networking and cooperation along the way.

The Blue Box covered more than 12,600 kilometres in four and a half months. From Hamburg, its route took it via Tallinn (Estonia), Prague (Czechia), Dunajská Streda (Slovakia) and Budapest (Hungary) to Trieste (Italy). It crossed borders by ship, train and truck, demonstrating how well Europe's ports are connected to the hinterland.

At each station, the container attracted attention with its bright blue colour. It was reminiscent of the Hamburg light art project ‘Blue Port‘ by light artist and theatre maker Michael Batz, which is illuminating the port for the tenth time this year. Accordingly, the journey ended just in time for this year's Blue Port Light-up Hamburg. An HHLA eTruck took it to the banks of the Elbe, where, after a ceremonial push of a button, the port lit up in blue.

The eye-catching container represents HHLA's self-image as a European network logistics provider that connects people, goods, data and ideas. It showed how Europe works best: with the ‘power of networks’.