Container segment

Key figures

in € million

 

2019

 

2018

 

Change

Revenue

 

799.7

 

758.9

 

5.4 %

EBITDA

 

240.2

 

209.8

 

14.5 %

EBITDA margin in %

 

30.0

 

27.6

 

2.4 pp

EBIT

 

141.3

 

131.6

 

7.4 %

EBIT margin in %

 

17.7

 

17.3

 

0.4 pp

Container throughput in thousand TEU

 

7,577

 

7,336

 

3.3 %

During the 2019 reporting year, the throughput volume at HHLA’s container increased moderately by 3.3 % to 7,577 thousand () (previous year: 7,336 thousand TEU).

The three Hamburg container terminals achieved a slight increase in throughput volume of 1.2 % to 6,964 thousand TEU (previous year: 6,885 thousand ). The changes in service structure (addition of several services to North America, disposal of a Far East service) largely offset each other. Due to the realignment, overseas traffic volumes exceeded the prior-year figure by 3.2 %. traffic with the Baltic region decreased markedly and could not be offset by growth in the North-West European shipping regions. The proportion of seaborne handling by feeders decreased correspondingly to 22.5 % (previous year: 24.0 %).

Container throughput

in thousand TEU

Development in container throughput (bar chart)

Throughput at the international container terminals in Tallinn, Estonia, and Odessa, Ukraine, during the reporting period amounted to 613 thousand TEU (previous year: 451 thousand TEU). It should be noted that the figures for the previous year are only partly comparable, as the container terminal in Tallinn was only integrated into the HHLA consolidated group at the end of the second quarter of 2018.

Revenue increased by 5.4 % year-on-year to € 799.7 million (previous year: € 758.9 million). This was due in part to the acquisition of the terminal in Tallinn. In the reporting period, average per container handled at the quayside moderately increased year-on-year by 3.7 % as a result of increased performance in the .

costs for the segment increased moderately by 5.0 % during the reporting period. This was partly due to a rise in personnel costs. In addition to higher staffing requirements at the Container Tollerort (CTT) as a result of the launch of new terminal software and additional hinterland volumes, the conversion of the company pension scheme was a key cost driver. A further reason for the increase was the allocation of internal costs for administration services. EBIT costs were also influenced by the costs of HHLA TK Estonia, consolidated at the end of the second quarter of 2018 and thus not included in the prior-year figures for the full year.

The operating result (EBIT) rose significantly by 7.4 % to € 141.3 million in the reporting period (previous year: € 131.6 million). Of this increase, approximately € 11.0 million is attributable to the application of 16. The EBIT margin rose by 0.4 percentage points to 17.7 % (previous year: 17.3 %).

During the reporting year, HHLA further improved the sustainability of its services by investing in climate-friendly handling equipment. For example, energy-saving hybrid were tested at the Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) and the Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB). Diesel-powered (AGVs) at the Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) were replaced by battery-powered AGVs, which are practically emission-free. Operations at CTA are now also primarily powered by green electricity. Moreover, the company made major in the expansion of its facilities. Three large were delivered to CTB at the end of 2019. Two more have been ordered and are due to arrive in the second quarter of 2020. The system was also expanded with the addition of three further automated blocks. The international terminals in Tallinn and Odessa also acquired new handling equipment and drove the consistent expansion of their yard capacities.

Terminal

In maritime logistics, a terminal is a facility where freight transported by various modes of transport is handled.

Standard container

A TEU is a 20-foot standard container, used as a unit for measuring container volumes. A 20-foot standard container is 6.06 metres long, 2.44 metres wide and 2.59 metres high.

TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit)

A TEU is a 20-foot standard container, used as a unit for measuring container volumes. A 20-foot standard container is 6.06 metres long, 2.44 metres wide and 2.59 metres high.

TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit)

A TEU is a 20-foot standard container, used as a unit for measuring container volumes. A 20-foot standard container is 6.06 metres long, 2.44 metres wide and 2.59 metres high.

Feeder/Feeder ship

Vessels which carry smaller numbers of containers to ports. From Hamburg, feeders are primarily used to transport boxes to the Baltic region.

Revenue

Revenue from sales or lettings and from services rendered, less sales deductions and VAT.

Hinterland

A port’s catchment area.

EBIT

Earnings before interest and taxes.

Terminal

In maritime logistics, a terminal is a facility where freight transported by various modes of transport is handled.

IFRS

International financial reporting standards.

Straddle carrier (also called a van carrier or VC)

A vehicle used to transport containers at the terminals. The driver manoeuvres their straddle carrier into position above a container and lifts it up. The vehicles can stack containers up to four high.

Automated guided vehicle (AGV)

A fully automatic, driverless transport vehicle which carries containers back and forth between the container gantry cranes on the quayside and the block storage yard at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder.

Investments

Payments for investments in property, plant and equipment, investment property and intangible assets.

Container gantry crane

A crane system used to load and discharge container ships. As ships are becoming larger and larger, the latest container gantry cranes have much higher, longer jibs to match.

Block storage

Automated block storage is used at the HHLA Container Terminals Altenwerder and Burchardkai to stack containers in a compact and efficient manner. Containers are stacked in several storage blocks. Rail-mounted gantry cranes are used to transport and stow the boxes.