HHLA’s Intermodal segment achieved considerable increase in volumes

Rising container throughput with HHLA; Intermodal segment reflects tougher competition
 
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) increased its container throughput in the first three months of 2013 by 5 per cent to 1.8 million TEU. The transport companies which were continued following the realignment of the Intermodal segment achieved considerable increase in volume, with growth of 23.9 per cent. Revenue fell by 2.7 per cent to EUR 279 million due to consolidation, while the operating result (EBIT) increased by 13.2 per cent to EUR 38.5 million.
 
“The considerable volume growth in our core business segments and the year-on-year improvement in our earnings are respectable – in particular given that we are still faced with a challenging macroeconomic environment. This confirms that we are on the right track by raising our container terminals’ performance and systematically expanding our intermodal network”, said Klaus-Dieter Peters, Chairman of the HHLA Executive Board.
 
The increase in container throughput was largely due to a 6.7 per cent increase in Asian traffic, a 7.4 per cent increase in feeder traffic to the Baltic Sea ports and a significant rise in throughput volume at the HHLA Container Terminal Odessa. The comparatively low-margin feeder traffic was offset by a marginal increase in storage fees, such that revenue of the container segment developed in line with the volume growth, at a rate of 5.6 per cent.
 
Key factors contributing to the increase in transport volume in the Intermodal segment – the rail companies Metrans and Polzug, as well as the trucking company CTD – were the new connections to Austria, Germany and the seaports in Poland. The revenue and earnings development of the companies that are included in the Intermodal segment failed to keep pace with the increase in volume due to tougher competition, the restructuring expenses at Polzug, ramp-up costs for new connections and higher depreciation and amortisation.

Quelle: LogEastics

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