Business
HHLA CEO: China partnership strengthens Hamburg's role as key European gateway
China remains a crucial partner for the Port of Hamburg, Germany's largest universal port and a vital gateway to Europe, according to Angela Titzrath, CEO of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), the port's operator.
Titzrath highlighted HHLA's long-standing, trust-based partnership with COSCO Shipping Ports Limited, a subsidiary of China COSCO Shipping Corporation. COSCO currently holds a 24.99-percent stake in the Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT), one of Hamburg's four container terminals.
Titzrath emphasized that this collaboration will facilitate the flow of more Chinese goods into European markets via Hamburg.
"The partnership we established last year ensures that trade with China—and particularly COSCO's vessel calls—will use the Port of Hamburg and the Tollerort terminal as an important initial hub," she said. "This enables the efficient distribution of COSCO's goods through Hamburg to the German and European hinterland. We naturally expect this long-standing, trusting cooperation to drive further growth, with Chinese cargo arriving first in Hamburg to supply European markets."
According to Port of Hamburg Marketing, China has been the port's most important trading partner for many years. The German hub is connected to major Chinese ports through 15 shipping routes, with key traded goods including consumer products, chemical goods, and machinery.
"It is a very long-standing and enduring relationship that has connected China and Hamburg for over 40 years," Titzrath noted. "COSCO and HHLA have been exchanging services and goods in close partnership for more than four decades. China is of great importance. Our cooperation reflects the significance of integrating service and goods flows between Europe, Germany, and China. Therefore, China remains an important partner for HHLA and for Hamburg."
Both Titzrath and Wang Mingfeng, President of COSCO Shipping Europe, confirmed that the two companies are working together to advance carbon neutrality at the Port of Hamburg. Efforts include reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vessels at berth and building a green, low-carbon supply chain.
Wang emphasized that the port's sustainable and green development is integral to COSCO Shipping's broader strategy to expand its regional supply chain network across Europe.
"In terms of tonnage, we are currently number one in the world, thanks to our diversified multipurpose fleet," Wang said. "Our vision is to build a world-class shipping technology enterprise. On the mission side, we have made our priorities clear: first, a digital supply chain; second, green and intelligent shipping. Hamburg is therefore very important for us in building out our network."
