Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) achieved significant year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2025, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and a weak German economy. The company's revenue rose by 19.8 per cent to €435.6 million, up from €363.6 million in the same period last year. The operating result (EBIT) surged by 86.6 per cent to €32.5 million, with an EBIT margin of 7.5 per cent compared to 4.8 per cent previously. Profit after tax and minority interests reached €7.9 million, a marked improvement from the previous year's loss of €1.1 million.
Angela Titzrath, Chief Executive Officer of HHLA, attributed the strong performance to the company's resilient European business, particularly in container transport by rail, which benefited from ongoing investments in network expansion. She acknowledged the challenges posed by US trade policy, which added uncertainty to global supply chains, but emphasized HHLA's ability to adapt.
In the Port Logistics subgroup, revenue increased by 20.1 per cent to €426.3 million, with EBIT more than doubling to €28.8 million. The EBIT margin improved to 6.7 per cent, while profit after tax and minority interests rose to €5.8 million, compared to a loss of €3.4 million in the same period last year. Container throughput at HHLA's terminals grew by 5.5 per cent to 1.544 million TEU, with Hamburg terminals accounting for 1.472 million TEU, an increase of 5.1 per cent. The international terminals saw a 13.8 per cent rise in volume to 72,000 TEU, boosted by the resumption of seaborne handling at the Odessa terminal.
The Intermodal segment recorded a substantial 28.7 per cent increase in container transport volumes, reaching 496,000 TEU. Rail transport rose by 30.1 per cent to 428,000 TEU, driven by strong demand in North Germany, the Adriatic, and German-speaking regions. Road transport also grew, rising by 20.4 per cent to 68,000 TEU. Revenue in the segment grew by 33.1 per cent to €202.0 million, while EBIT increased by 42.1 per cent to €20.0 million, supported by a higher share of rail transport and routine price adjustments.
HHLA's Real Estate subgroup also posted modest growth. Revenue rose by 2.1 per cent to €11.6 million, with the operating result increasing slightly to €3.7 million. The positive performance was driven by stable occupancy in the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district and successful lease renewals.
Looking ahead, HHLA remains confident in its 2025 financial outlook, maintaining its forecast as published in the 2024 Annual Report. No significant events in the first quarter have prompted any revisions to the company's expectations.
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For more information:
Carolin Flemming
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik
Tel: +49 40 3088-3503
www.hhla.de