Copyright: Hans Blossey
- New record (+5 %) in container handling segment
- Total handling volume declined by 3 %
- New China destinations strengthen market position
- Diversification secures logistics location Duisburg in the global competitive environment
- Erich Staake: “Our actions must continue to be guided by realism and a sense of proportion during the crisis!”
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, container handling at duisport in 2020 grew by 5 percent to 4.2 million TEU (previous year: 4.0 million), which is a new record. With a share of around 55 percent, container handling is the most important duisport goods segment. Overall, the duisport Group handled almost 59 million tonnes in the year 2020, based on an initial analysis. That is 3 percent less than in the previous year. (2019: 61.1 million tonnes). The drop is due to the political move away from coal handling.
Particularly rail-based freight traffic with China grew by approximately 70 percent during the past financial year. In 2019, an average of 35 to 40 trains traveled between Duisburg and various destinations in China. As of the second quarter of 2020, the Port of Duisburg registered an increase to up to 60 trains a week. Developments in eastern Europe are also very positive. Expanded connections to Poland in the trailer business have made a significant contribution to continued growth for a number of years already.
duisport network grows during the crisis
“These increases in the container business are not solely due to pandemic-related catch-up effects. Our strategy of expanding access to additional Chinese destinations as early as April (i.e. during the first lock-down) already paid off particularly in the second half of the year. In the meantime, all important logistics hubs in Europe and Asia have become an integral part of our network. We have systematically expanded our position as a preferred destination for eastern European and Asian freight transports into Europe. Our customers value our flexibility and performance – and in particular our rapid onward transport options. We have already approved additional investments to ensure that we also remain an attractive partner in the bulk goods business. Duisburg remains a multi-modal port, and that will not change,” emphasizes duisport Chief Executive Officer Erich Staake.
Strengthening rail freight
In 2021, the Port of Duisburg will continue its successful strategy of shifting freight transport, particularly transport from eastern Europe (by truck, tractor-trailers, trailers), from road to rail. The thus far implemented expansion measures and the new customers that have settled in the port, particularly DSV and MAERSK in logport VI, will continue to provide important impulses for duisport’s handling operations.
“Despite these positive developments, we have to maintain a sense of proportion and realism,” says the CEO of Duisburger Hafen AG. “Since the vaccination strategies in the EU are rolled out much more slowly than in the US or the UK, we will have to expect lower demand and further restrictions with lock-downs for our home market. Particularly the logistics sector, which is characterized by small and medium-sized companies, may be negatively affected due to continued uncertainty among consumers. In 2021, the second year of the pandemic, we are still vulnerable to significant uncertainties and certainly not out of the woods yet,” Staake concludes.
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