Port of Rotterdam Continues to Grow While Hamburg Faces Crisis

German seaports—especially the Port of Hamburg—have been lagging behind Rotterdam in growth for years. In fact, Hamburg even experienced a decline in 2015. One of the main reasons is the lack of water depth. Larger container ships cannot access the port due to overdue dredging operations that have yet to be carried out.

Dredging Issues

Although courts have ruled that dredging must take place, the operations have stalled due to a lack of space to dispose of the dredged sediment. On top of that, several additional factors are compounding Hamburg’s struggles:

• The trade embargo with Russia

• Slowing economic growth in China

• The poor condition of Germany’s road infrastructure, causing delays and long waiting times due to traffic congestion

Large Container Ships Unfit for Hamburg

Not only is Hamburg's inland port too shallow, but the Elbe River is also unsuitable for the new generation of ultra-large container vessels. Additionally, high port fees in Hamburg discourage shippers.

As a result, the Port of Rotterdam is expected to pull further ahead in the coming years. In contrast to Hamburg, large vessels can easily dock at Maasvlakte 2, Rotterdam’s deep-water container terminal.