Unbundling,
networking,
cooperating.
Mobility Report 2014
1
Mobility Report 2014
Table of Contents
02 The Management
03Foreword
04 Efficiency is the Future
07 Setting Course for Hamburg
09 Precision Work: The Way into the Port
10 It is All on the Screen
12 The Goal: Get through the Port Quickly
15 Off the Ship and onto the Road
17
18
20
22
Up-to-the-Minute Container Throughput
Road Construction in a Fast Forward Mode
Unravelling Traffic: No Stop, Just Go
Water Turns to Land
25 Off the Ship and onto the Rails
27 Hub for European Freight Traffic
30 Hamburg – The Blueprint of a Railway Port
32 Crossing Borders with Innovative Ideas
34 Cruise Shipping from a Single Provider
36 The Port as a Powerful Economic Engine
38 General Information
38Imprint
39Facts
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Mobility Report 2014
Dear reader,
It takes courage and commitment to lead the way – and above all, it requires innovative
ideas and a stable base to bring these ideas to life. Whether it‘s at traffic management,
energy transition or area development, sustainable ideas which support economically
and ecologically useful, future-oriented port development have entered all areas of
activity at the HPA.
During times of continuously growing turnover, the location of the port in such close
proximity to the city in combination with the limited space available is a huge challenge.
The smartPORT-philosophy is a logical consequence: In order to increase the productivity
of the port in a sustainable way, the flow of traffic and goods has to become more
efficient and the use of space has to be optimised. The development of the Port of
Hamburg into a “smartPORT” is an ambitious and long-term goal. We can further
promote this through cooperation, synergies and an open exchange of ideas with the
spheres of business, society and politics.
The port is not only closely linked to the city from a geographical point of view. As
an economic driver the success of the port has a direct impact on the metropolitan
area and the German economy overall. For this reason, the communication with port
users and international customers plays an important role for us – through constructive
dialogue we have to find ways to make the port and its processes more efficient for
everybody. This means that we have to think outside the box and act proactively to
make sure that the port remains globally successful.
We hope you will enjoy this report and get a sustainable look at the Port of Hamburg.
Jens Meier
Chairman of the Management Board
From left
Jens Meier, Chairman of the Management Board
Frank Horch, Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport and Innovation
Wolfgang Hurtienne, Managing Director
Wolfgang Hurtienne
Managing Director
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Mobility Report 2014 / The Management
5
THE MANAGEMENT
Efficiency is the Future
The Port of Hamburg is a landmark and a growth factor – not only
for Hamburg but also far beyond the metropolitan area. The city
and the port management agree that an efficient port is a ­­futureoriented port. In addition: A long-term efficiency increase requires
a sustainable development strategy.
If you strive for sustainable development, you have to ­overcome
boundaries in geographical terms – for example when you want to make
cargo-related information and traffic data available ­outside the port –
as well as in the terms of attitudes: We have to think of new ways and
ideas in order to create a future-oriented port. We do not want to dictate sustainable behaviour. As port managers we have to lead the way
with new ideas and concepts in order to demonstrate to those who are
involved in port throughput that sustainability offers clear ­economic
advantages.
JENS MEIER
HPA Chairman of the Management Board
In 2014, the Port of Hamburg has achieved record sales in
­container throughput. This shows us that our smartPORT strategy is
the right way to go. The more efficiently we can take care of the flow of
traffic and goods, the more attractive the port will be for international
trade. At the same time, we regard this result as an indicator that we
have to keep working on making the port ready for the challenges
ahead. The holistic concept smartPORT has been developed for exactly
this r­ eason. The idea is to use the available resources – whether in the
form of data, infrastructure or energy – as efficiently as possible in order
to optimise the ­productivity of the port in a sustainable way.
WOLFGANG HURTIENNE
HPA Managing Director
The development of the port and the economic growth of the
city are closely linked. We need to strengthen the port in the long run.
On the one hand to secure the economic development of the city and
the metropolitan area; on the other to create a foundation for innovative
concepts. Whether it concerns the energy transition in the port, the
factor of environmental protection or the intelligent cross-linking of the
port – every aspect of sustainable port development needs the corresponding economic conditions. The port is an economic driver for the
city – and it can also be a launchpad for new ideas.
FR ANK HORCH
Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport and Innovation
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Mobility Report 2014 / Setting Course for Hamburg
Setting Course for
Hamburg
… and beyond: The Port of Hamburg is one of the largest
European hubs for goods turnover.
CONTAINER D
Place of origin: Japan, contains
textiles, which are shipped to
Scandinavia for either processing
or distribution.
CONTAINER B
Place of origin: Norway, contains
paper for a printing company in
Saxony-Anhalt.
CONTAINER A
Place of origin: China, contains
­notebooks and PCs, which are sent
to a dealer in West Germany for
direct distribution.
CONTAINER C
Place of origin: China, contains
memory systems, transported from
Hamburg to a production company in
Eastern Europe (Czech Republic).
D
B
A
C
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Mobility Report 2014 / Setting Course for Hamburg
SETTING COURSE FOR HAMBURG
Precision Work:
The Way into the Port
Long before the container ship reaches the River Elbe estuary, the Vessel Traffic Service
Centre is already in the loop. Among other things, the navigators and the ­administrative
office of the Port of Hamburg have compared the vessel’s data and its
route to the movement of other large vessels.
What is the ship’s draught? Does it have a “tidal window” – a time window dependent on tides
– in which it has to get through the Lower Elbe? Will it encounter other large vessels and if so
is the fairway wide enough so that both vessels have enough room? Several large vessels
enter and leave the port on a daily basis – safe and efficient shipping traffic in the port and the
Lower Elbe can only be guaranteed if you detect potential risks early on.
The Elbe pilot reports
the c­ ontainer ship to the
­cross-national information
­system DV-Elbe – as of this
­moment the Vessel Traffic
Service Centre has the ship
on its radar.
THE EXPERT’S EYE
The Elbe pilot checks the current traffic conditions on the River Elbe.
Up-to-the-minute shipping traffic
An Elbe pilot boards the vessel on the Elbe estuary. The pilot accompanies the vessel through
the Lower Elbe and into the port while remaining in direct contact with the Vessel Traffic Service Centre. The navigators keep the pilot and the vessel’s captain informed about the current
water level, flow conditions and other incidents – like a planned encounter with another large
vessel near Pagensand. In this four-kilometre area between two restricted zones (Begegnungsverbotszone) the fairway is wide enough so that two large container vessels can pass
each other safely. Today, both vessels are on time and pass each other without any problems. The ­Vessel Traffic Service Centre on the Bubendey bank already has the ship in view.
The captain changes the course close to Finkenwerder to avoid a one-day construction site
for dredging activities. Only a few hundred metres further down, the employees of the Vessel
Traffic Service Centre watch the huge vessel pass by their window.
01 Assistance while entering the
port: the pilot on board, the Vessel
Traffic Service Centre via radio.
01
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Mobility Report 2014 / Setting Course for Hamburg
Opposite page
01 Centre piece: a look inside the
Vessel Traffic Service Centre at
the Bubendeyufer.
This page
02 The employees of the Vessel
Traffic Service Centre ensure a
smooth shipping flow 365 days
a year.
02
by interlinking the information and communication systems. Port Monitor, our IT-based lead
system, is especially crucial in this regard as, in the future, it will be possible to use it not just
for ship traffic but also for other forms of traffic such as road and rail – this is how we keep the
current traffic situation in the entire port area under control and are able to plan proactively.”
01
ON THE WAY INTO THE PORT – AND BEYOND
It is All on
the Screen
A
B
C
D
Every vessel longer than 90 m
has to take a pilot on board in
the Port of Hamburg to assist
the vessel’s captain.
Navigator / Traffic Centre
“The Port of Hamburg is a traffic hub for maritime, inland, port, traditional and sport shipping.
Our job is to keep an eye on the high traffic volume and keep it under control with regard to
the tide, flow velocity and changing weather conditions. Radar, radio communication, an AIS
(Automatic Identification Service) ­transponder and Port Monitor are indispensable technical
prerequisites. There is a clear trend towards ever-larger vessels – for this reason, the future
of the Vessel Traffic Service Centre lies in the integration of information through intelligent
systems.”
The Vessel Traffic Service Centre maintains radio contact until the p
­ ilot
has reported the cargo vessel as “set” at the berth of the EUROGATE
­terminal. The vessel is shown as “set” on Port Monitor as well:
The unloading begins.
The Vessel Traffic Service Centre is the heart and soul of the port: Every vessel movement
is observed, planned and coordinated from here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Every
employee of the traffic centre and the administration office has a ship master’s c­ ertificate
(Kapitänspatent auf großer Fahrt).
Jörn Warwel, Head of the Vessel Traffic Service Centre
“We cannot change the tide. But we can optimise ship traffic in the port in a way that uses the
potential of the port to our advantage, especially when it comes to the increasing transport
volume and the increasing size of vessels. More efficient traffic management is made possible
Supervisor
“The Port of Hamburg monitors 30,000 vessel movements a year – around the clock and with
constantly changing tidal conditions. This requires total concentration from our navigators to
­guarantee a safe and smooth flow of traffic. During the refurbishment of the Vessel Traffic
Service Centre, the workstations were adapted to the high working requirements, for example
with high-definition monitors that are easy on the eyes as well as ergonomically shaped desks
and chairs. All available traffic, weather and berth information as well as video imagery from
the port can be put on a big screen from any workstation. The visualisation of integrated information allows us to react faster and more effectively.”
Large vessels with deep draughts
often have a tidal window of only
30 minutes – if they miss it, they
have to wait.
Technician
“We collect different measurement, logistics and traffic data. The systems have to run r­ eliably
around the clock to ensure a safe and efficient flow of traffic. In order to secure a p
­ ermanent
back-up function for all systems, the Vessel Traffic Service Centre has a separate IT security
room that complies with BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) regulations and houses
the IT and VTS (vessel Traffic Servicesystems. With its ice storage, the HPA has found a sustainable way to use the huge amounts of waste heat from the technical facilities of the Vessel Traffic Service Centre in an effective way: We need less heating in the winter, and the heat
exchanger enables the supply of cool air in the summer.”
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Mobility Report 2014 / Setting Course for Hamburg
The Goal:
Get through the Port Quickly
Transfer, store temporarily, prepare for further transport: Around
20,000 containers come through the port on a daily basis – via road,
via inland waterways and via the tracks of Europe’s biggest port
railway.
A3
B2
D3
A2
C2
D2
B1
A1
C1
D1
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Road
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Off the Ship
and onto the Road
More than 40,000 trucks come through the port area. This is the
daily routine in the Port of Hamburg. The traffic volume on the road
increases with the turnover. There were almost ten million standard
containers in 2014. A large portion of them reach and leave the port
via road – and it is vital that this happens quickly.
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Road
01
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE ROAD
Up-to-the-Minute
Container Throughput
A1
B1
SPL is a cloud-based communication and information platform,
which provides current transport
information to the drivers and
port users.
The vessel has arrived at the EUROGATE terminal, but the journey is not over yet
for the transported goods. The unloading of the containers begins right after the
attachment. Some will be stored temporarily, but the vast majority is reloaded for
further transport to the hinterland of Hamburg and to destinations in Germany
and Europe: every minute counts.
The mobile bridges, which are 80 metres high, are constantly moving: One container after
another is lifted off the vessel’s deck and moved to their respective destinations for further
transport. Trucks are lined up to take on their cargo.
One is delivering a container with PCs and notebooks to a wholesaler near Bremen, today.
Another truck will take textiles made in Japan to Poland for further processing.
The Köhlbrand Bridge has connected Wilhelmsburg to the
A7 / ­Waltershof since 1974. At
3,618 metres, it is the second
largest road bridge in Germany
and a true Hamburg landmark.
The route goes across the Köhlbrand Bridge and over the Köhlbrand towards Waltershof. The
impressive bridge is one of the main arteries of the port – and it can sometimes turn into a
bottleneck. Today, the DIVA screen at the bridge’s access point shows empty roads. This is
also confirmed by the traffic information system SPL, which drivers can use as an app on their
smartphones. The driver, who is currently on the road to Bremen via the A1, has checked the
current traffic information on SPL before even leaving the terminal. He can now send a short
note to his dispatcher to confirm the expected arrival time at the customer and plan his next
break.
Opposite page
01 Depending on the size of the
vessel, between 10,000 and
16,000 standard containers
(TEU) have to be unloaded and
transported further.
This page
02 No time to lose: efficient loading
onto the waiting truck.
02
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Road
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Opposite page
01 Cold shower: This is how the
open-pored structure of the
asphalt is cooled down quickly.
This page
02 Innovative asphalt helps to
­minimise the lockout time on
port roads.
01
02
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE ROAD
Road Construction in
a Fast Forward Mode
A2
Water allows for very short cool-down periods
What if the traffic volume does not allow roads to be closed for a long period of time and a
temporary closure is not possible either due to long cool-down periods? The traffic volume
cannot be reduced – but the cool-down period of the asphalt can.
Hartmut Koch Dipl. Ing. is an
authorised signatory, Deputy
Director of the Test Laboratory
and Manager for Asphalt and
has been working for HNL in
product development, among
other departments, for 25 years.
On its way to the A1 towards Bremen, the truck passes the Neuhöfer Damm / Neuhöfer Straße junction. Here, trucks come through one after the other, a
constant stress test for the road surface. A very special asphalt was used for
resurfacing in 2014.
Roughly 10,000 vehicles pass through the central artery Neuhöfer Straße / Neuhöfer
Damm on their way to the terminals, the container depots or the hinterland of Hamburg.
This represents a real challenge for road resurfacing projects because there is no useful ­alternative route for trucks on their way through the port. This requires an innovative
­solution approach.
With regards to solutions for complex road construction projects, the HPA works in close
cooperation with the engineering and auditing firm Hansa-Nord-Labor (HNL) in P
­ inneberg.
The increased utilisation of the infrastructure is a challenge associated with a growing port,
according to Manfred Hase, CEO of HNL. “Occasionally, roads in need of resurfacing c­ annot
be closed during the day due to the high and constant traffic flow. These roads have to be
resurfaced at night or at the weekend.” However, a time window this small n
­ ormally does not
offer enough time for resurfacing: “Conventional asphalt requires up to 36 hours to cool down
completely,” explains Hase. “If you clear the surface too soon, you risk the deformation of the
top layer.”
The minimised lockout time
during road resurfacing also
­reduces emissions because
traffic flows smoothly.
Dr Manfred Hase is the CEO
of HNL and has been a publicly
appointed and sworn expert
in the use of asphalt in road
construction since 2003.
HAKO-asphalt is a fully stable,
open-pored asphalt, which has
been developed by HNL for
a time-efficient resurfacing of
heavily used roads. During
installation it can be cooled
down with water in a very
short time.
“Our objective was to develop an extremely stable asphalt with minimal cool-down periods,” says
Hartmut Koch, Manager for Asphalt at HNL, explaining the idea behind the HAKO-asphalt.
“After installation, the open porous structure of HAKO-asphalt allows the water to pass all the
way through, which leads to a quick and effective cool-down,” he continues. “Under optimum
conditions, we can clear a road section for traffic just one or two hours after the i­nstallation. If
planned right, we can resurface up to 500 metres of road in a single night and clear it for traffic the next morning.”
Innovative ideas require new thinking
The HAKO-asphalt pilot project at the Neuhöfer Straße / Neuhöfer Damm junction is a process
with great future potential for the HPA. “HAKO-asphalt is a perfect match for the port and its
high traffic volume. It allows us to resurface heavily used road sections quickly while keeping
the impact on traffic to a minimum,” says Willi Stegemann, Head of Road Facility
Management at the HPA. The auditing firm HNL values the HPA as a client who is willing to
break new ground and play an active part in the development of innovative processes. “Sustainability requires a new way of thinking in companies,” says Hartmut Koch. “The focus has
to shift from the pure cost of something to methods that are sustainable, because such methods will pay off in the long run.”
Traffic solutions for a growing port
The HPA in cooperation with HNL will continue to think about new options for road resurfacing. It does not just want to meet the ever-growing traffic and turnover volume with the expansion of the infrastructure. Rather, the future will be about using the existing infrastructure as
smartly and efficiently as possible. Working with strong partners with experience and expertise will ensure that port traffic will continue to flow smoothly.
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OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE ROAD
Unravelling Traffic:
No Stop, Just Go
A3
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Road
Opposite page
01 Good times for trucks: The new
bascule bridge across the Rethe
will reduce waiting times.
This page
02 Right between Neuhof and Hohe
Schaar, the HPA is building the
biggest bascule bridge of its kind
in Europe.
Traffic stops on the Rethedamm - The Rethe lift
bridge is closed due to a train passing. When the
truck driver crosses the bridge 10 minutes later, he
watches the impressive construction site right next
to the Rethe lift bridge.
02
Every day, more than 7,000 vehicles cross the Rethe lift bridge, which ­connects Neuhof
to the Elbe island Hohe Schaar – in addition to the numerous cyclists and pedestrians as
well as 40 trains (“Rangierzüge”) that travel between the H
­ amburg-Süd and Hohe Schaar
marshalling yards. Whenever one of these trains crosses the R
­ ethe lift bridge, road traffic
has to wait.
With the construction of the
bascule bridge, the width of
the f­ airway will increase from
44 ­metres to 64 metres. Large
vessels with a width of more
than 30 metres will be able to
pass the bridge more safely and
much faster.
The new bridge will be a twopart, two-winged bridge – this
type of bridge emerged as the
most economic option for the
Rethe.
A flyover (“Überwerfungsbauwerk“) is being built in the
connection area to the south in
addition to the new bridge. It will
take road traffic across the rails.
01
On the way to a “smartPORT”
There is a huge construction site right next to the Rethe lift bridge. The new bascule bridge
that is currently under construction will replace the current lift bridge in 2018. “The new bridge
will separate rail and road traffic and improve the traffic flow,” says Jörg Kapusta, Manager of
the Rethebrücke Reconstruction Project at the HPA. Trains and vehicles will be able to cross
the Rethe at the same time in the future, which will reduce road congestion. This is in line with
the smartPORT philosophy, which, according to Jens Meier, Chairman of the HPA Management Board, “includes not only the intelligent linking of IT in the port but also the unravelling
of traffic in order to optimise the traffic situation in the port and prepare it for the constantly
growing traffic volume”.
Open-heart surgery
The main reason for the new construction site is the replacement of the old lift bridge. After
roughly 80 years in service it has reached the end of its service life. The HPA was aware
that an efficient traffic flow for cars, trains and ships had to be taken into account as part of
­necessary investment as this would aenable a reduction of waiting times for road traffic as
well as of emissions.
“One of the biggest challenges for this project was the immediate proximity to the Rethe lift
bridge,” explains Jörg Kapusta. “For the construction pits of the enormous folding pillars, we
had to build a slope for each pit that was 30 metres high but only 11 centimetres away from
the wheelhouse of the lift bridge. That was true precision work.” To ensure the safety of the
buildings close by, the steel components for the bridge pillars were embedded into the bottom
of the Rethe with a special low-vibration construction method.
Traffic will start flowing in 2016
The new foreland bridge was hoisted in April 2014. The rail foreland bridge and the four steel
damper blades, which weigh over 600 tonnes each, followed in July 2014. “We still have a
long way to go,” says Jörg Kapusta. “On top of the bridge construction, the fairway has to be
increased and the embankment has to be adjusted as well.” After the estimated completion
date in 2018, the new Rethebridge will be connected directly to the Port Road M
­ anagement
Centre and the overall traffic control centre of the HPA, Port Monitor: in this regard, too, the
Rethebrücke project is a big step towards smartPORT.
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Road
02
03
Opposite page
01 The port is growing closer together: Small-scale structures that
have been growing over centuries are now being reduced.
This page
02 Creating space in Steinwerder:
Desperately needed logistics
space is under development.
03 One of the most important
transport routes in the port:
Thousands of trucks travel on
Veddeler Damm on a daily basis.
that can handle and transfer the increasing turnover volume in the container, project cargo and
general sectors in an efficient way. This is how the port will remain competitive as a universal
port in the long run.
01
A 40,000 m2 logistics area is currently being built in Steinwerder. It merges the existing
­storage capacities of a resident port customer into a connected depot and storage area. It
allows more efficient use of existing capacities and helps the infrastructure to be used to its
full capacity.
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE ROAD
Water Turns to Land
B2
Around 400,000 m3 of sand is
needed for the backfilling of the
port basin in Steinwerder.
The second container leaves the Köhlbrand Bridge towards Steinwerder. While
driving across Roßdamm and the Ellerholz Bridge, the driver sees the heavy dredgers
and a sprinkler irrigation plant for sand (“Sandverrieselungsanlage”), which is currently preparing the backfilling of the Steinwerder southern pier. A new logistics
area will be built here soon.
Using synergies: useful soil management
Sustainable “inwards-directed port development” also requires that synergy effects are recognised and utilised in order to use the available resources to their full potential. For Steinwerder port this means that a substantial amount of soil from other HPA projects will be used
for the backfilling of the Steinwerder port basin. Excavated material from other c­ onstruction
measures is transported to Steinwerder with a barge and added on-site. This kind of
“­recycling” saves depot space and sand, a valuable resource. At the same time, a dredging
barge replaces roughly 30 trucks on the road and reduces traffic volume and pollutant emissions in the port.
The history of the Port of Hamburg is most clearly visible from above: Small port basins,
separated by small piers, dominate the port area in various sections. These long, narrow
port basins have been built over centuries all over the port as berths for small freight ships.
With the introduction of modern container shipping, ship and transport volume increased –
subsequently, instead of needing as many piers as possible what was needed were large
and connected logistics areas to store and re-sort the container units for further transport.
Connected port areas for a sustainable port
The container throughput at the Port of Hamburg has continuously increased since the 1960s
and with it the need for storage and logistics areas. Older, hardly used port basins are partly
backfilled again and developed into a logistics area: This gradual generation of new space is
one part of the strategic restructuring of the port. The goal is to create extensive structures
Environmental challenges for the generation of space
Work on the southern end of the Steinwerder port has been ongoing since mid-2014. One
of the challenges of backfilling the 440 m long and 85 m wide section of the port basin is the
amount of sludge sitting at the bottom of the 100-year-old port basin and the problem it poses:
Tests carried out beforehand showed a high pollution level in some areas. In coordination with
­specialised authorities, roughly 10,000 m3 of heavily polluted sludge was removed, while the
remaining, less polluted material was covered with a layer of sand roughly two metres thick.
With the so-called sprinkler irrigation procedure (“Verrieselungsverfahren”) thin thin layers of
sand are continuously added to the area in a way that creates a sustainable foundation for further backfilling. An underground dam at the northern end of the future area keeps the sand in
the port basin. The sprinkler irrigation work will be completed at the beginning of 2015 – the
actual backfilling will then start.
The partial backfilling of the
Dradenau port allows the
­generation of a new logistics
area in Waltershof.
The driver leaves Steinwerder behind and checks the route one more time on his
smartphone. A short time later, he crosses the Northern River Elbe and leaves
­Hamburg for Saxony-Anhalt.
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
25
Off the Ship
and onto the Rails
The Hamburg port railway connects the turnover terminals with the
German and European railway network. Around 200 trains with a
total of over 5,000 carriages use the railway tracks every day – this
requires a true organisational talent: The railway runs like clockwork
to make sure that every container gets where it needs to go.
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
Opposite page
01 One container after another is
taken over the mobile bridge
onto the waiting freight trains.
This page
02 Responsible for the future of the
port railway: Harald Kreft.
02
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE RAILS
Hub for European
freight traffic
C2
D2
Not every container leaves the terminal by truck – a huge part is loaded off the
ship and directly onto waiting container carriages belonging to various train
operating ­companies (“Eisenbahnverkehrsunternehmen”). Some of these containers will go directly to manufacturing companies in the port, others continue their
journey to the h
­ interland of Hamburg or beyond to Scandinavia or Eastern Europe
on the ­European railway network.
More than 30% of all goods handled in the port are transported by train – currently,
over 44 million tonnes a year. This makes the Port of Hamburg the largest railway port
in Europe. Harald Kreft, responsible for the port railway since 2008, is in charge of the
­strategic maintenance and increasing efficiency at the port railway.
Harald Kreft, since 2008, the HPA has spent about €333 million on the development
of the port railway – why is so much money invested into the network?
Harald Kreft is a member of the
management board of the HPA.
A professional railway engineering specialist, he has a degree
in railway and road construction.
Since the 1990s he has been
employed as a ­consultant and
in leading p
­ ositions the port
railway.
01
HAR ALD KREFT First
of all, we had to fulfil the high backlog of demand for investments from
before 2008, which we achieved. In addition, we have to prepare the port railway for the continuously increasing throughput and transport volume. We are doing this by extending and
developing the existing railway tracks and by gradually unravelling the traffic in the port so that
rail, car and ship traffic do not interfere with each other. Large construction sites such as the
construction of the New Kattwyk Railway Bridge are purely railway projects from a financial
point of view even if all forms of traffic benefit from them.
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Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
29
One of the keywords for the HPA with regards to the future development of the port is
“smartPORT”. Can you explain what kind of role this smart development plays for the port
railway?
This page
01 The smart switch is full of
­surprises: Sensors measure the
need for maintenance and report
it to the technicians in good time.
Looking at the volume of turnover in the Port of Hamburg, we need IT to use and maintain
the infrastructure in the optimum way. A good example of this is smartSwitch-­technology,
which we utilise with heavily used switches that are difficult to get to. The switch reports a
­maintenance need with the help of sensors so that we have to close fewer tracks. In addition,
transPORT rail is part of this smart development because as a communication interface it
supports efficiency on the railway.
Opposite page
About 200 trains with 5,500
carriages use the rail network of
the port railway every day. On
average, one train transports
73 TEU as compared to 50 TEU
in 2005.
02 Perfectly coordinated – c­ ontainer
trains are subdivided and assembled into new trains in the Alte
Süderelbe Marshalling Yard.
01
C2
D2
The container trains leave the terminals for the Alte S
­ üderelbe (ASE) Marshalling
Yard. The trains are then subdivided and the containers are redistri­buted according to their final destination. This has to happen quickly: Thousands of containers
need to be moved with many others already on their way in. The transport volume
of the port railway is increasing in proportion to the increasing vessel sizes – in
the future, the existing infrastructure of the port railway is going to be used even
more efficiently.
You said that the port railway has to get ready for the increasing turnover – how is this
going to happen?
The efficiency increase of the port railway is based on three pillars. The first pillar is the
­expansion and maintenance of the existing physical infrastructure, which includes the track
system, overhead lines and the control and security technology. The second pillar is based on
the intelligent management of the infrastructure including operational measures and i­ncentive
systems such as our payment system INES (incentive-based payment system). Last but not
least, the third pillar is the i­ntelligent linking of the 300+ participants in railway processes.
We will use the IT ­system t­ ransPORT rail, which was fully introduced in 2014, to offer and
communicate customised information to them. Important participants include the train operating companies, operators, the loading stations and local railway infrastructure companies.
With INES, the HPA was able
to almost double the capacity
of the port railway tracks and to
increase the number of carriages
with noise-reducing brakes in the
port by 45 %.
The smartSwitch-technology
uses sensors to report when a
switch has to be serviced. This
means that fewer tracks have to
be closed for maintenance.
How can train operating companies who actively use the port railway be included in a
­sustainable concept?
Systems such as INES make it possible for these companies to use the infrastructure more
quickly and efficiently. transPORT rail enables them to estimate their production in a reliable
way because all of the logistics data is available early on. We are able to trace a train from its
point of departure in the European hinterland all the way to the port and plan its handling in
the port in a very precise way. We want to intensify this cooperation with the train operating
­companies and the dispatchers so that we are able to control the railway traffic even b
­ etter
in the future. One of the essential prerequisites for an ideal use of the infrastructure is efficient production by the train operating companies in the port. We only require a few central
communication interfaces, the so-called single points of contact (SPOC), to enable a direct
exchange between the HPA, the train operating companies, the operators, the loading stations / ­terminals and the Deutsche Bahn railway network.
Currently, 117 train operating
companies (EVU) use the port
railway infrastructure. This
variety offers a huge range of
services for port customers and
an ideal foundation for innovative
products.
02
Where do you see the biggest challenges for the port railway in the future?
The turnover volume on the railway will continue to increase. Fact. This is caused by the
­continuously increasing throughput as well as the transfer of traffic from road to rail, which is
heavily supported by the HPA. An improved utilisation of the trains and reliable rail production
are playing a major part in making transport faster and more e
­ fficient. Thanks to investments
in recent years, the physical port railway i­nfrastructure is in great shape. The use of intelligent
measures, especially information sharing, that enable optimum utilisation is the next big challenge. We are convinced that we will have to work even more closely with the train operating
companies in the future and that we have to take all forms of traffic into consideration.
30
Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
31
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE RAILS
Hamburg – The ­Blueprint
of a Railway Port
C2
D2
Various train operating companies take care of the transfer and further transport
of the containers in the Alte Süderelbe marshalling yard. All of them pay a fee
to use the port railway – and anyone who manages to move the containers in a
­particularly efficient or sustainable way, pays a reduced fee in the port railway
­payment system INES. The newly arranged trains leave the marshalling yard
one after the other – the journey of the containers continues.
“As the place of origin and destination for a significant portion of European freight transports,
the port railway is an important strategic partner for DB Schenker. In particular, the port railway’s good connections into the hinterland support quick processing. The goal we have in
common with the port railway is optimum productivity on the tracks. For this reason, we follow
the development of the port railway with great interest.
To look ahead at the infrastructure and its
allocation – that has to be the goal for the future!
HEIKO WULFF-R ABENSTEIN
Just like the HPA, DB Schenker has made sustainability a part of its corporate strategy
DB2020. This includes a new shunting fleet (“Rangierflotte”) featuring particulate filters, new
and quieter brake systems for the vast majority of our freight carriages and technical tests
with hybrid locomotives. The most important factor for sustainable production is and always
will be efficiency. For this reason, the early and reliable planning of our transport is indispensable. This is not only in the common interest of everybody involved in transport but also a
key foundation of the rail freight traffic strategy of DB Schenker. The development of the port
railway infrastructure also has to be oriented towards an improved action plan. transPORT rail
is the first step towards a development in this direction. A coordinated planning overview for
every train operating company that carries out production in the port can be achieved by intensifying the interlinking and transparency of the information and communication systems in rail
freight traffic – the goal here is to reduce the throughput times in the port by three hours and
to avoid empty runs on the port railway tracks completely.”
HEIKO WULFF-R ABENSTEIN
Manager, Hamburg Production Site for DB Schenker Rail since 2011
The fees for the train operating
companies are reduced in the
port railway payment system
INES if they maintain standard
throughput times in the port and
install particulate filters or use
noise-reducing carriages.
FROM THE PORT R AILWAY TO ANY WHERE IN EUROPE
Every container needs to pass through the port as quickly as
possible.
32
Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
33
Opposite page
01 Metrans’ new Bombardier
­locomotives can get to their
destinations in Eastern and Northern Europe faster and more
efficiently.
This page
02 Metrans recently acquired
20 TRAXX multisystem
­locomotives.
02
Metrans operates more than
330 train connections every
week. Destinations include
Switzerland, Austria, the Czech
Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.
“It makes sense from an ecological and economic point of view
to increase the efficiency of our transport. The multisystem locomotives boost production quality because they are aligned with
the different voltage and train control systems in Central Europe
and can be used across borders.”
01
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE RAILS
Crossing Borders
with Innovative Ideas
C3
With 65 standard containers on board, another train leaves the marshalling yard
towards Hausbruch. It is one of many trains going to Eastern Europe via the port
railway. Thanks to the multisystem locomotive, which functions perfectly with the
various voltage systems of different countries, this train reaches the terminal in
the Czech Republic without having to change locomotives on the way.
Efficiency as a clear competitive factor
The diversity of the train operating companies in the Port of Hamburg is an indicator of the
dynamic development of the port throughput and port railway. At the same time, optimum utilisation of this throughput is a challenge. Incentives for a sustainable use of the infrastructure
come not only from the HPA, but also from the train operating companies themselves. Larger
organisations such as the HHLA subsidiary Metrans use the Huband Shuttle System to
ensure the greatest possible utilisation of the trains: Metrans sorts the cargo that comes
directly from the port according to its region of destination, then takes it to the respective hub
terminals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia where it is sorted according to its place of destination. The hub terminals also serve as a collective terminal for shuttle trains going to the
ports of destination.
METR ANS
METR ANS has more than
40 locomotives, owns about
1,500 carriages and leases
700 more. Recently, Metrans
bought 20 TRAXX multisystem
locomotives.
Multisystem locomotives reduce overall travel time
The equipment used by the train operating companies also contributes to efficiency. Besides
internally developed carriages with reduced net weight and a higher loading capacity, Metrans
recently started to use TRAXX multisystem locomotives manufactured by Bombardier. The
innovative electric locomotives feature security and voltage systems for different countries,
which allows the train to reach destinations abroad without having to stop. This reduces the
train’s waiting and travel time. At the same time, the trains can be used across borders with
maximum flexibility. This new way of thinking by port railway users and their overall willingness
to invest in efficient production is a very important step forward for the port railway – and an
ideal foundation for close cooperation between the HPA and the producing companies.
METR ANS Deutschland GmbH
The HPA ensures a lot of movement in Europe’s largest railway port: As a rail infrastructure
company (EIU), it provides the port infrastructure for the train operating c
­ ompanies that
carry out production in the port.
This includes the coordination of the 100+ train operating companies in the port, the planning
of track occupancy and the overall control of dividing and rearranging trains in the marshalling
yards – in short: Creating the conditions for the most efficient use of the port railway on a
daily basis.
On its way through the port, the train passes one of many switches in the
­northern part of the Alte Süderelbe train station. The inconspicuous grey box next
to the tracks is full of surprises: The so-called smartSwitch-technology reports
the need for maintenance and reduces the blocking time caused by rail malfunctions. Today everything is working according to plan – the switch is set in the
direction of Hausbruch and onwards to the Eastern European rail network.
34
Mobility Report 2014 / Off the Ship and onto the Rails
35
OFF THE SHIP AND ONTO THE RAILS
Cruise Shipping from
a Single Provider
D3
Right after the Metrans train another container train enters the Hausbruch turning.
Its journey to Scandinavia takes it across the New Kattwyk Railway Bridge. The
new bridge is still under construction – cars and trucks have to wait when a train
crosses the bridge. The construction site of the New Kattwyk Railway Bridge
is not the only one the container train will pass. The development of the port
­infrastructure in Steinwerder is in full swing.
Hamburg’s third cruise terminal (CC3) is currently under construction at Ellerholzhafen, in
the western part of Steinwerder. This is the first time that the HPA has been responsible
not just for the preparation of a suitable area but also for the construction and operation of
the new Cruise Centre Steinwerder.
01
01 More and more cruise ships are calling at the Port
of Hamburg – an important economic factor for the
port and the city.
Hamburg already has the Cruise Centre Altona and the Cruise Centre HafenCity.
Why do you build a third cruise terminal on Steinwerder?
IRIS SCHEEL (Project Lead CC3) Our
city is a popular cruise destination and a fixture on the
routes of the biggest cruise ships in Europe. It is currently estimated that there will be a 100 %
increase in cruise ship passengers by 2030. At the same time, the infrastructure of the cruise
terminals has to fulfil the requirements of the ever-increasing size of the ships. The HPA, in
­cooperation with the Hamburg Airport, is building this third cruise terminal so that it can handle the i­ncreasing size of the ships and the corresponding number of passengers.
handling and parking. The close daily cooperation with another big company is inspiring – it
offers us a glimpse into a different company culture and changes our perspective with regards
to our daily work. The HPA can only benefit as a company.
With the Cruise Centre HafenCity (CC1) and the Cruise Centre
Altona (CC2), Hamburg already
has two cruise terminals close
to the city. They are now being
­complemented by CC3.
Sustainability issues are becoming more important for the HPA and the economy – how
does this translate into the construction of the cruise terminal?
CC3 is not in close proximity to the downtown area but is located at the heart of the port.
Why did the HPA choose this particular location?
The decisive factors were the availability on short notice and the costs. One of our b
­ iggest
­clients is currently working on a new project on year-round cruises starting in Hamburg.
The area on the Kronprinzkai was cleared and ready for the development at short notice. In
­addition, the quay wall on the Kronprinzkai was already in place – which was not the case
at a­ lternative l­ocations – so that we only had to adjust it to the requirements of large cruise
ships. Our e
­ xperience with cruise shipping in Hamburg shows that about 95 % of all passengers are so-called turnaround passengers: They either start or end their journey in Hamburg. What these passengers especially need is a good traffic connection to the terminal and
long-term parking. Both can be perfectly implemented at the area in Steinwerder. This is also
another reason why the Cruise Centre Steinwerder is an ideal addition to the pre-existing
terminals.
The HPA and Hamburg Airport are working together on the construction of this new
Cruise Centre. How does this collaboration function in practice?
Each of the three project areas finance, construction and operation is staffed by represen­ta­
tives of the HPA as well as employees of Hamburg Airport so that we can combine our expert
knowledge. We especially benefit from the airport’s experience with regard to b
­ aggage
Cruise shipping from a single
provider: The three cruise
­terminals in Hamburg will be run
by a single operating company
in the future. It is owned by the
HPA with a 51 % share and Hamburg Airport with a 49 % share.
In 2014, the Port of Hamburg
was host to 189 cruise ships –
making it the third most popular
cruise ship destination in Northern Europe.
Sustainability has already been taken into account when choosing the location: The terminal
will be built quickly and with almost no additional expenditure thanks to the ideal utilisation of
the existing i­nfrastructure. The HPA is also supporting innovative developments for low-emission energy supply for cruise ships. In Altona, Europe’s first fixed installed landside power
plant is currently being built, and in HafenCity we are currently building the infrastructure for
the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) hybrid barge for low-emission power supply for cruise ships.
In Steinwerder, ships which are modified for LNG will have the opportunity to be supplied with
gas.
Cruise shipping is currently experiencing a boom. What happens if this trend suddenly
stops and the estimated passenger increase never happens?
The utilisation of the third cruise terminal (Cruise Center Steinwerder) is designed for 15 years
including with regard to refinancing. Any ­possible costs that would arise from renaturation for
a possible new utilisation of the area are already included in this refinancing plan. If necessary,
we can come up with a new concept for the area after 15 years without losing any money.
The container crosses the Veddel junction into the German railway network. It is
not going to be the last container train to leave the port railway tracks towards
Scandinavia today.
36
Mobility Report 2014 / The Port as a Powerful Economic Engine
The Port as a
Powerful Economic
Engine
37
While the containers are on their way to their final destinations all
over Europe via truck, train and inland vessel, the next container
ship enters the port. Roughly ten m. containers were handled in the
Port of Hamburg in 2014. In cooperation with every member of the
transport chain, the HPA works on getting these volumes through
the port as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is how the Port
of Hamburg will remain one of the most important hubs in Europe –
and a decisive economic engine for the city and the metropolitan area.
38
39
Mobility Report 2014 / Facts
FACTS
berths for seagoing vessels
IMPRINT
million containers
truck journeys daily
PUBLISHED BY
Hamburg Port Authority
Institution under Public Law
km of quay walls
Neuer Wandrahm 4
20457 Hamburg, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)40 42847-0
Fax: +49 (0)40 42847-2325
trains on the port railway tracks
www.hamburg-port-authority.de
PHOTO CREDITS
Gregor Schläger
HPA-Bildarchiv
HHLA: 32, 33
picture alliance: 11, 35
istockphoto: 36
Lars Berg: 18
In 2014, the HPA has renewed
PAPER
ULCSs*
calls of ULCs
of the main port route by means
of full recycling.
EnviroTop, recycled paper from
100% waste paper, produced without
adding any optical brighteners, with
no chlorine bleaching; awarded with
the Blue Angel certification – RAL-UZ 14.
cruise passengers in 2014
PRINTED BY
© Hamburg Port Authority, 07/15
* Ultra Large Container Ships
Druckerei Siepmann GmbH
million tonnes
tonnes of
of total
total throughput
throughput
million
trains daily