Summary of Key Points
German port companies, such as the Hamburg Port and the European largest terminal operator OMA Group, are accelerating their focus on Eastern markets. They are deepening cooperation with Chinese ports like Qingdao, Shanghai, and Ningbo-Zhoushan by signing agreements in areas such as green shipping, intelligent operations, and supply chain stability. The Chinese market is a crucial driver of their business growth (with Sino-German trade volumes returning to high levels, and the Hamburg Port relying on China for nearly 40% of its maritime transshipment to China). At the same time, German ports wish to learn from Chinese ports' AI technology and automation experiences to address issues such as limited space and labor shortages, with the ultimate goal of creating a more stable and sustainable Sino-European supply chain.
I. The Chinese Market: A Critical Pillar for German Ports
China is Germany's most important trading partner. In 2024, trade volume between the two countries reached 251.8 billion euros (a year-on-year increase of 2.1%), making China once again Germany's largest trading partner. For the Hamburg Port, nearly 40% of its maritime cargo to China is transshipped through this port, and 30% of its container business is directly connected to China. OMA Group is even more dependent on the Chinese market, with its Wilhelmshaven terminal expecting a 75% increase in cargo volume in 2025 due to Sino-German trade demand.
Despite a temporary decline in port throughput in the first quarter of this year due to severe cold weather, Hamburg Port quickly recovered in March and April. Stürmann, the chief commercial officer of the Hamburg Port Authority, stated clearly that "the trade pattern with China is stable, with no risk of structural decline." Lempert, the sales manager at Hamburg Logistics AG, also mentioned that the Sino-German shipping route is the company's most core and stable business segment, with a slight increase in cargo volume to China this year. A large amount of Chinese goods are transshipped through Hamburg Port to Northern Europe, making it a "core hub" for northbound logistics between China and Europe.
II. Green Shipping: Joint Efforts to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Reducing carbon emissions in shipping cannot be achieved by individual countries or ports alone. Therefore, the Hamburg Port and the Shanghai Port signed a "Green Shipping Corridor" agreement in 2024 to work together on creating environmentally friendly shipping routes, using lower-carbon ships and establishing unified industry standards while sharing technical expertise.
Stürmann emphasized the need for joint efforts with Chinese ports to find low-carbon solutions, such as using clean energy-powered ships and optimizing shipping routes to reduce fuel consumption. Otherwise, different standards would make it impossible for ships to communicate effectively across borders.
III. Intelligent Technologies in Chinese Ports: A Model for German Ports
The modernization level of Chinese ports is admired by their German counterparts. Mädingert, the sales general manager at OMA Group, noted that "Chinese ports are large and newly built, while many European ports have outdated facilities that are difficult to upgrade." For example, the Hamburg Port is surrounded by the city and has limited space for expansion; it can only improve efficiency by optimizing existing infrastructure (such as dredging the Elbe River to deepen the waterways and expanding terminals). As a result, German ports are eager to learn from Chinese ports' AI and automation technologies. OMA Group has already purchased eight remote-controlled intelligent cranes from China, which will be delivered in 2027, and plans further cooperation on automated stacking equipment. The Hamburg Port is also using similar "OCR+AI" technology (automated text recognition on containers) to reduce costs and increase efficiency, as well as to address the labor shortage issue at German ports—many young people are reluctant to work in such jobs, so machines can play a significant role.
IV. Supply Chain Resilience: Joint Efforts to Ensure Stability
Given the complex international landscape, supply chain stability is of utmost importance. The Hamburg Port, as a hub for northbound traffic between China and Europe, plays a key role in transporting goods to the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe. OMA Group is also working to optimize shipping capacity on Sino-German routes and improve port infrastructure (such as rebuilding the Prüfungen Bridge to clear obstacles for large ships), ensuring that super-large container ships can dock smoothly.
Mädingert stated, "In the future, we need to continuously upgrade European ports to support the expansion of Sino-European trade and create a highly resilient supply chain." In other words, no matter how the global situation changes, the transportation of goods between China and Europe must not be interrupted; ports must act as stabilizers.
This news report highlights a mutual dependence between German and Chinese ports: Germany relies on the stable growth of the Chinese market for its business, while Chinese ports use cooperation to expand into the European market and jointly address global challenges. Both parties benefit from this mutually beneficial relationship.