Goods handling is lower than in the previous year. And there was also a change at the largest trading partners of German seaports.
Fewer goods were handled in German seaports in 2022 than a year earlier. 279.1 million tons meant a decline of 3.2 percent, as calculated by the Federal Statistical Office.
According to the Wiesbaden authorities on Thursday, the handling of goods in German seaports is 4.9 percent below the level before the corona pandemic, as a result of which supply chains came under pressure worldwide: 293.5 million tons of goods were handled in 2019.
Change at the largest trading partners
Russia, which was still the most important trading partner for German seaports in 2021 due to very high energy exports, lost considerable importance last year as a result of the Ukraine war. According to the Federal Office, in 2022 the Russian Federation ranked seventh among the most important partner countries with 13.4 million tons of goods handled, with 93.4 percent of goods handled with Russia being received.
The most important partner countries in maritime trade for Germany last year were Sweden (24.4 million tons of goods handled), Norway (22.7 million tons), the USA (22.0 million tons) and China (20.9 million tons).
The most important German seaport for goods handling was Hamburg with a volume of 103.4 million tons. Bremerhaven (42.8 million tons), Wilhelmshaven (31.8 million tons), Rostock (21.3 million tons) and Lübeck (16.4 million tons) followed at a clear distance.
Source: Stern
