THE Port of Hamburg's 2010 container volume increased 12.7 per cent year on year to 7.9 million TEU, according to port authority statistics.

"Despite the satisfactory process of catching up, we did not reach the previous year's level," said port marketing chief Claudia Roller. "Available data cause us to reckon on being able to resume the record figures of 2008 in the first half of 2012."

Asia held top box spot, accounting for 4.7 million TEU to and from Hamburg, up 14.1 per cent to 585,000 TEU year on year. Numerous liner services, which had suspended or reduced strings during the downturn, again resumed operations in 2010 or increased capacity once more," said the port authority.

An increasing number of mega-ships called. With more than 900 calls by mega-ships expected in 2011, the planned adjustment of the Lower and Outer Elbe urgently needs to be implemented, said the port authority.

Overall seaborne cargo increased 10 per cent to 121 million tons, returning Hamburg on its pre-2009 path of growth. Baltic and Eastern European markets, so important to Hamburg, also recovered in 2010, providing growth in general and bulk cargo.

Said Ms Roller: "On both general and bulk cargo, we are delighted at the gratifying result on throughput. With 121 million tons of seaborne cargo in 2010, the total was 11 million tons up on 2009. The available national economic data cause us to reckon on being able to resume the record figures of 2008 again during the first half of 2012."

For 2011 this expert on the port expects that the revival of foreign trade in Eastern Europe and Russia combined with further growth in German foreign trade will lead to a positive development in seaborne cargo throughput for the universal port of Hamburg.

"China, Hamburg's leading trade partner, has since 2010 again ensured growing cargo flows. In 2010, Hamburg as a hub for the Asia and China trade routes with northern Europe and the Baltic states was already able to profit from this positive trend and can reckon on overall growth of very nearly 10 per cent for 2011," said Ms Roller.