PORT OF HAMBURG SEES BOOST IN FIRST-HALF VOLUMES

PORT OF HAMBURG SEES BOOST IN FIRST-HALF VOLUMES    The port of Hamburg saw double-digit growth in container throughput and a 6 percent increase in tonnage through the first half of 2002.
   Container traffic via Hamburg climbed 12.1 percent to 2.53 million TEUs. Port officials said Hamburg was the only northern Europe port to achieve higher throughput in the first half. The port also solidified its position as the world's eighth-largest container port.
   Export container volumes rose 13.9 percent, while inbound containers improved 11.5 percent. The port handled more export containers than imports for only the third time in the past decade. Exports also outdistanced imports in the fourth quarter of 2002 and 2001. The increase in exports has also served to balance trade through the port, as the number of empty containers handled increased only 7.1 percent.
   Container throughput overall has increased 1 million TEUs since the Elbe navigation channel was deepened in 1999.
   Port officials credit increased exports to Russia through the establishment of a feeder service, as well as new or expanded services linking Hamburg with North America, Japan and East Asia.
   Container traffic with Asia generated about 72 percent of the current year growth. Growth has also improved among northern Europe ports (up 14 percent) and the Baltic region (up 22.4 percent to 553,166 TEUs). The port also anticipates an additional 50,000 TEUs to be handled by Mediterranean Shipping Co., which will use Hamburg as a hub for its feeder services with Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
   The port anticipates topping 5 million TEUs for calendar year 2002.
   Total tonnage improved 6.0 percent to 47.8 million tons.
   Conventional cargo through the first half reached 1.50 million tons, down 14.3 percent on the year-earlier period, due to transfer of cargo to container. Containerization at the port reached 95.3 percent in June 2002, compared to 93.2 percent in June 2001.
   Bulk goods were flat compared to last year, the port said.