Profile of Hamburg's Multi-Purpose Terminals

Port of Hamburg 

Multi-Purpose Terminals 

& Project Cargo 


www.hafen-hamburg.de

Multi-Purpose Terminals & 

Project Cargo in the Port of Hamburg 

Special facilities, long-time experience and equipment 

to handle conventional cargo are major 

parts of the history and growth of the Port of 

Hamburg’s movement of all types of conventional 

cargo. This includes bagged or palletized commo - 

dities, metals, fruit, paper and other forestry pro - 

ducts, potash and other chemicals, heavy or oversized 

load – even complete plants, factories and 

industrial parts. 

While the Port of Hamburg can boast more than 819 

years of consistent successes and growth, the 

recent dynamic development of gene ral cargo hand 

ling has involved the volume of containerization 

growth. From 1990 to 2007, goods hand led by 

Hamburg port facilities have risen from 61 million 

tons to 141 million tons. 

As the port continues to develop and meet the 

increase in demand for containers, the six special- 

RHENUS MIDGARD 

TERMINAL DRADENAU 

2 

BUSS HANSA 

TERMINAL 

ized multi-purpose terminals handle in excess of 

three million tons annually. From ro-ro facilities to 

floating cranes for heavy lift capability, Germany’s 

largest seaport offers every cargorelated service 

and diverse expertise including comprehensive 

ware housing, logistics and distribution. 

With the expansion of the EU and the on-going 

development of the Central and Eastern European 

hinterland, the port will continue to fulfill and even 

exceed the needs of those shipping non-containerized 

freight and the other vital cargoes for these 

markets. In addition, Hamburg’s immediate market 

of more than three million people, its unmatched rail 

connections and hundreds of feeder vessels each 

week to North and Baltic seaports makes it the ideal 

gateway for breakbulk and project cargoes for all of 

Europe and its markets. 

C. STEINWEG 

(SÜD-WEST 

TERMINAL) 


TERMINAL HARBURG 

WALLMANN 

HHLA FRUIT 

CENTRE 

UNIKAI+RoRo

Profile of Hamburg’s Multi-Purpose Terminals 

BUSS Hansa Terminal (BHT) 

This private multi-purpose terminal is part of 

BUSS Ports + Logistics, a large provider of 

cargo handling services and other innovative portrelated 

logistics services. BHT is located in the 

Hamburg Freeport. The terminal handles cargo for 

container lines and shortsea trades. It deals with all 

kind of conventional cargo. BHT is equipped with 

seven quay cranes and two mobile cranes for the 

rapid and safe handling of heavy lift and project 

cargo up to 150 t. The terminal can dispatch ro/ro 

vessels with quarter, bow or stern ramps. It also 

provides numerous fork lift trucks, terminal trailers 

and tractors, reach stackers, heavy lift storage areas 

as well as an extensive range of special gear for lifting 

these loads. Its own railway siding and excellent 

connections to German motorways makes BHT a 

top address for breakbulk cargo. 

C. STEINWEG (SWT) 

Steinweg (Süd-West-Terminal) GmbH & Co. 

C. KG is specialized in handling various conventional 

cargoes including metals, machinery, project 

cargo, breakbulk and unitised cargoes and commo - 

dities. The Steinweg group has 46 offices covering 

every continent. SWT combines the logistics ser - 

vices with the advanced cargo handling and warehousing 

facilities to offer a complete and integra ted 

range of distribution services. The terminal is located 

in the centre of the Freeport and has direct rail 

access and a good connection to the motorways. 

The SWT terminal quay length is 1,500 metres. 

SWT offers 145,000 sqm open storage area and 

70,000 sqm covered storage. Crane capacity goes 

from 45 tons to 150 tons. Fork lift trucks are able to 

move up to 45 tons, trailers can move cargo volumes 

up to 200 tons. 

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The “Generalist” among Hamburg´s Harbour 

Facilities. Rhenus Midgard – an important location 

factor at Germany’s logistics hub No. 1. 

Rhenus Midgard, one of Germany´s major port 

operators, is operating a facility with two terminals 

for handling all kinds of commodities in 

Hamburg. Aside from the bulk clearance of containers, 

all kinds of goods are handled on the quay. 

From the export of equipment and import of raw 

materials all the way to handling and storing materials 

requiring special supervision, Rhenus Midgard 

provides a wide spectrum of highly specialised 

logistics services in Hamburg. 

The long-established Hamburg-based port logistics 

services provider Rhenus Midgard is the only company 

in the Port of Hamburg with an infra- and substructure 

(mooring and terminal premises) of its 

own. In addition, the company is the gateway in the 

network of the Rhenus AG logistics centre being 

active across Europe. Within the Rhenus Logistics 

network, the Hamburg-based Rhenus Midgard 

realises multimodal gate-to-gate- and house-tohouse 

solutions. Both these factors contribute to 

Rhenus Midgard being capable of optimally adap - 

ting to the requirements of industry, commerce as 

well as suppliers and disposers. 

Complementing its port services, the company 

offers tailored logistics services for transport companies 

and cargo handlers, e.g. in the fields of construction- 

and recycling management. For the purpose 

of realising complete supply and disposal 

chains, Rhenus Midgard engages in project-oriented 

cooperation with potent partners, thus being able to 

realise virtually any solution. With this flexible service 

mix, the company represents a central element 

in the implementation of Hamburg’s multi-purpose 

strategy as universal port focusing on container hand 

ling as well as general and bulk cargo. 

The two terminals in the seaport of Harburg and the 

Dradenau port in Finkenwerder operated by Rhenus 

Midgard feature different performance profiles with 

respect to their individual location: 

Building material and recycling location in the 

seaport of Harburg 

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In Harburg, the focus is on handling gripper-capable 

bulk cargo, large quantities of general cargo, project 

loads, and potential recyclables. At the 500-metre 

long pier, vessels of the handy size class up to 

55,000 tdw and a draught of up to 10.4 metres are 

handled. For handling particular and non-particular 

recycling materials, the terminal features security 

facilities and qualifications corresponding to the 

Federal Emission Protection Law. And as owner of 

the port sub-structure, the company can itself determine 

the utilisation of its facilities independent from 

political decisions pertaining to port matters. 

On-site, recycling- and construction industries 

including a number of companies have created the 

main focus of activities. Local cooperation with the 

recycling department of the Rhenus AG as well as 

external partners allows for tailored solutions and 

even more complex challenges. 

Short Sea Gateway in Hamburg-Finkenwerder 

With its exposed position in the west of the Port of 

Hamburg and the close proximity of the A7 highway 

intersection Waltershof, the Dradenau terminal 

offers favourable conditions for fast ro-ro services, 

e.g. in the short-sea traffic with Western Europe as 

well as the Baltic Sea area including Russia. In order 

to meet the demands of important Rhenus customers 

in the field of truck transport of cargo, 

Rhenus Midgard additionally operates, together 

with the Elbe-Boston Line, a line of its own for the 

Great Britain traffic since 2005. 

At the Dradenau pier, the handling of ro-ro cargo and 

other general cargo is offered. With its RoRo bridge 

dimensioned for loads of up to 450 tons and a fortified 

terminal area, equipment manufacturers and 

project freight forwarders are increasingly calling 

upon the services of Rhenus Midgard for heavy 

loads destined for overseas. 

At the Dradenau terminal, extensive open and 

storehouse spaces are used for general cargo and 

container handling as well as additional value-added 

services such as container packing. Together with a 

certified partner, Rhenus Midgard also operates 

facilities for container gassing.


UNIKAI Terminal 

Located in the Freeport on O’Swaldkai, Unikai 

Lagerei und Speditions GMBH (Unikai) handles a 

range of ro-ro cargoes, including new and secondhand 

cars, trucks and trailers, as well as stuffed roro 

trailers. Ro-Ro and Con-Ro operations are the 

principal activity. In addition the terminal handles a 

range of forest products. The service is completed 

by container and heavy lift handling. Unikai offers 

1,000,000 sqm storage, on the terminal 1 container 

WALLMANN & Co. 

The family owned multi-purpose terminal WALL- 

MANN is located in the southern part of the port. 

The terminal has direct rail access and short distance 

to the next motorway exit. The service mixture 

includes handling of all kind of conventional and 

breakbulk cargoes, stuffing and stripping services 

for container operators, warehousing, processing, 

packing services and distribution services. The 

WALLMANN terminal offers 60,000 sqm covered 

storage area in 12 warehouses plus a large area for 

open storage in the terminal. The terminal provides 

a quay length of 640 metres. One 140-to-mobile 

crane plus four quayside cranes lifting up to 45 tons 

crane and 1 mobile crane (104 t). Quay length at 

Unikai terminal is 800 metres. The ro-ro facilities 

offer one adjustable ramp and two other ro-ro 

ramps. Special services include PDI service for cars 

and transportation ser vices. 

each and in combination up to 80 tons are in use to 

load and unload vessels. A fleet of 50 fork lift trucks 

and terminal trailers with a capacity of up to 150 to 

are completing the equipment. WALLMANN is specialised 

in the safe packing and handling of project 

cargoes of all kind as well as heavy cargoes and 

project shipments. Staff is well trained to handle all 

kind of goods in a professional way. 

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Commodities 

FRUIT – fresh logistics 

The Hamburg fruit terminal, operated by HHLA 

Frucht- und Kühl-Zentrum GmbH, handles nearly 

1,5 million tons of fruit every year. The main import 

fruit is bananas from South America. The banana 

and fruit terminal is one of the most modern and 

efficient terminals in Europe. All types of reefer vessels 

can be accepted, and four vessels can be operated 

at the terminal quay simultaneously. The terminal 

has eight elevator systems in operation and 

seven quay cranes complemented by a container 

gantry crane to handle reefer containers. The terminals 

temperature-controlled warehouse offers more 

than 25,000 palette space. Hamburg’s fruit terminal 

is handling imports going to the German, Scan - 

dinavian, eastern European market and to Austria 

and Switzerland. Special reefer trains connect Ham - 

burg with inland regions. The nearby areas are 

served by reefer trucks. The Baltic Sea region is 

connected by feeder vessels. 

Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Spices, 

Nuts, Dried Fruit, Tobacco, 

Paper, Rubber, Steel… – 

tailormade product services 

Hamburg is Germany’s biggest import place for 

commodities as green coffee, tea, cocoa and 

other special commodities. About 1,2 million tons of 

green coffee, 252,000 tons of cocoa, more than 

444,000 tons of tea and spices pass every year 

through the Hamburg port and it’s specialized warehouse 

companies. Containerisation changed transport 

of these traditional conventional goods. Most 

of them are shipped in containers today. Most of 

Hamburg’s commoditiy warehouse operators are 

registered with the London International Futures 

Exchange (LIFFE) and with the New York Board of 

Trade (NYBOT) as approved warehouse keepers. 

The International Cocoa Trading Organization (ICCO) 

uses Hamburg as a centre to store its buffer stocks. 

Specialized Hamburg warehouse operators, some 

are registered with the London Metal Exchange, 

offer services as cleaning, customs clearance, processing, 

sorting, delivery to final destination / production. 

Some of these companies are: Eichholtz 

& Cons., NKG Kala Hamburg GmbH, Schwarze & 

Cons. GmbH, C. Stein weg (Süd-West-Terminal) 

GmbH & Co. KG, Bert hold Vollers GmbH, Werner 

Bruhns Lage rei ge sell schaft und Wallmann & Co. 

EXPORT PACKING SERVICES – for a safe journey 

All Hamburg’s seaport packing companies offer 

excellent facilities for intermediate storage, professional 

transportation and packing services, EDI 

services, ISO certification and membership with 

other German packing standard guidelines and 

associations. 

Two names out of a number of companies: Securi - 

tas Export Packers – the company is accredited to 

ISO9002 and for heavy lift packing. Another com - 

pany is SWOP-Seaworthy Packing GmbH. 

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Hamburg Freeport & Customs Procedures 

MULTI-PURPOSE TERMINALS 

Operator Terminal Quay Terminal Number Warehouse Total Depth 

Length Area Quayside Cranes Capacity Alongside 

BUSS HANSA Buss Hansa 840 m 30 ha 2 gantries 37,000 m 2 80,000 TEU 12.5 m 

TERMINAL GMBH Terminal 8 x 25-45 to cranes 

2 mobile cranes 

HHLA Fruit Centre 530 m 17 ha 1 gantry 60,000 m 2 1,000,000 t 11 m 

FRUCHT- UND 3 mobile crans 

KÜHLZENTRUM 4 carton elevators 

UNIKAI LAGEREI Multi-purpose 800 m 30 ha 1 container crane 1,000,000 m 2 20,000 TEU 11.5 m 

UND SPEDITIONS- Terminal and mobile cranes 

TERMINAL MBH O`Swaldkai available 

RO-RO-TERMINAL 

RHENUS MIDGARD Rhenus Midgard 500 m 135,000 m 2 2 gantry cranes (16 t) 12,500 m 2 2,5 mio. t 10.8 m 

RHENUS AG & Co. KG Terminal Harburg (open storage) 1 slewing crane (45 t) 

RHENUS MIDGARD Rhenus Midgard 400 m 155,000 m 2 2 gantry cranes (30 t) 50,000 m 2 1 ro-ro ramp 11.5 m 

Terminal Dradenau 1 mobile crane (100 t) 2 moorings 

C. STEINWEG Süd-West 1,300 m 24 ha 1 crane (40 t) 70,000 m 2 30,000 TEU up to 13 m 

(SÜD-WEST Terminal 1 crane (45 t) 

TERMINAL) 2 cranes (8 t) 

GMBH & CO. KG 1 mobile crane (140 t) 

1 hopper for bulk shipment 

WALLMANN & CO Wallmann 640 m 13 ha 5 cranes 70,000 m 2 250,000 TEU 13.1 m 

Terminal 1x140 to mobile crane 

Hamburg’s Freeport Area offers manufacturers 

and distributors one of the most liberal tax en - 

vironments in Europe. The Freeport is part of the 

German Federal Republic, and it belongs to the 

Customs territory of the European Union. But, 

under the European Community Customs Code, 

third party goods entering the Freeport are treated 

as not yet having entered the Customs territory of 

the Community. 

Goods entering the Freeport do not therefore need 

Customs clearance, and they can be stored in the 

Freeport without attracting excise duty or other 

taxes. Taxes are only levied if the goods leave the 

Freeport area for import into Germany/EU – Goods 

in transit to countries other than Germany are only 

liable for import duties when they enter their country 

of destination. Goods can be held in the Freeport 

for an unlimited period of time. Another advantage 

of the Freeport is that no VAT is levied on processing 

operations or transactions within the Freeport 

area. This has led many companies to set up processing 

operations, particularly for high-value commodities 

such as coffee, tea, paper, cocoa, nuts and 

spices, within the Freeport. 

To avoid customs clearance problems in the relevant 

accession state, forwarders can use a socalled 

fiscal representative commissioned by the 

consignee (importer) to carry out EU customs clearance 

quickly and smoothly at Hamburg as the port 

of entry. 

Once goods arriving by sea have been cleared for 

the EU in Hamburg, e.g. by a clearing agent, they 

are then transported to the destination country 

from Hamburg as an intra-community delivery. The 

benefit is that customs clearance is no longer neces 

sary at the final destination. Only VAT appli cable 

in the respective country has to be paid and, in addition 

to saving time, this procedure also saves costs 

in that no T 1 dispatch document is required from 

the port of entry to the destination country. 

Goods imported into Germany from non-EU countries 

are in general liable to import duties (Customs 

duty, import turnover tax and excise duties), which 

are levied at a rate set by the Customs tariff or 

excise duty laws. Certain imports (for example, agricultural 

products) are exempt from duties in some 

circumstances, as are some goods imported from 

developing countries. 

All cargo entering or leaving Hamburg may be subject 

to inspection by German Customs, not only to 

keep a check on false Customs declarations, but 

also to control the import and export of illegal items 

such as drugs and armaments. To speed up inspection 

of containerised cargoes, the German Federal 

Customs Administration has installed a HI-CO 

SCAN system at the main Customs office near the 

Freeport at Waltershof, which uses X-ray technology 

to examine the contents of containers entering 

and leaving the port. Average inspection time takes 

just 20 minutes, and containers are only subjected 

to manual searching if the X-ray examination shows 

suspicious items not readily identifiable on the mani 

fest. 

7


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Mattentwiete 2 · D-20457 Hamburg · Tel. ++49 / 40 / 3 77 09-0 · Fax ++49 / 40 / 3 77 09-199 

Internet: www.mainport-hamburg.de or: www.hafen-hamburg.de

Profile of Hamburg's Multi-Purpose Terminals

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