HHLA Group improves all business figures in 2014

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG continues on its path of further integrating the logistics chain; plus 9.4 per cent in intermodal business

The HHLA Group’s container terminals in Hamburg set a new throughput record of 7.2 million standard containers (TEU). The Intermodal companies operating in rail and road services in particular achieved another substantial increase of 9.4 per cent in their transport volumes to 1.3 million TEU.

This pleasing development in 2014 confirms the measures taken by the company early on to further improve the quality and capacity of mega-ship handling at the terminals and to gear the company up for an increasing number of ultra large vessels calling at the harbour. HHLA increased its number of employees on the basis of the rise in volumes at the Hamburg terminals, the ongoing expansion of the hinterland networks and the increasing use of its own locomotives. 270 new members of staff took up qualified and future-proof employment positions with the company in 2014. HHLA now has a workforce totalling approximately 5,200 employees.

“Despite a challenging environment particularly due to the further delay in dredging the navigation channel of the river Elbe, 2014 was a successful year for HHLA, as demonstrated by the significant increase in our operating result, a clear rise in our container transports and the record volume of cargo that we handled at our Hamburg container terminals. Our vertical Group strategy puts us in a strong position and we will continue to work intensively on improving the coordination of the logistics chain in the future,” said the Chairman of HHLA’s Executive Board Klaus-Dieter Peters at the presentation of the 2014 annual financial statements. “We have invested in further improving our handling efficiency, for example by creating capacity reserves at our terminals in good time and by increasing our productivity. We made investments of more than EUR 100 million in the Intermodal segment over the past three years, investing in additional hinterland terminals and in our own locomotives and wagons.”

HHLA generated revenue of EUR 1.2 billion in the financial year 2014, up 5.4 per cent on the previous year. There was an even stronger increase in its operating result (EBIT), which rose by 10.0 per cent to EUR 169.3 million. This was particularly due to overseas volumes that were 4.3 per cent higher year-on-year. Throughput volumes generated by Far East traffic even increased by 7.2 per cent. Other drivers of growth were the greater volumes transferred at the HHLA terminals in Hamburg to rail (+ 6.2 %) and trucks (+ 2.1 %), and the Intermodal companies’ higher transport volumes (+ 9.4 %).

In light of the expected development of the economy and the market environment, continued regional risks and the further delay in the dredging of the river Elbe, HHLA expects a slight increase in container throughput for the year 2015. HHLA also expects to gain further market shares for its rail companies.

www.hhla.de

Quelle: LogEastics
Portal: www.logistik-express.com