As part of the official delegation visit by the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to India, representatives of Hamburg's port and maritime industry focused on strengthening cooperation with partners in Chennai and Mumbai. In New Delhi, meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Invest India further reinforced bilateral relations. Against the backdrop of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India, the delegation highlighted the importance of diversified trade relations and India's growing role as a trading partner.
The delegation was led by Hamburg's Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and Innovation, Dr Melanie Leonhard. Participants included Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority and President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors, Hendrik Meyn, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, and senior representatives of the maritime sector.
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Sustainability and climate-neutral port development in focus
During meetings with representatives of the Mumbai Port Authority, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, the Indian Ports Association, and the Regional Representation of the International Association of Ports and Harbors, discussions addressed strategies for climate-neutral port development. The Hamburg delegation shared experience from projects such as the development of shore power facilities.
At the event "Ports in Conversation – Hamburg meets Mumbai", stakeholders discussed future port capacity, resilience, and sustainability. Presentations from Hamburg were followed by a panel discussion on long-term maritime infrastructure planning, including port area transformation and cruise terminal development.
New volume record in throughput with India
India is among the Port of Hamburg's key trading partners. From 2020 to 2024, direct container throughput with India increased by 21 per cent. Growth continued in 2025, with India ranking sixth among Hamburg's partner countries in seaborne container traffic by year-end.
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"The Port of Hamburg recorded a new volume record of 290,000 TEU in direct trade with India in 2025. This represents impressive growth of nearly 50 per cent compared to the previous year and clearly demonstrates the dynamic development of trade with the subcontinent. The delegation visit to India is a further building block intended to generate additional momentum for cargo flows, investment and logistics partnerships," said Hendrik Meyn, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.
The Port of Hamburg maintains twelve liner services with India: six container liner services, three RoRo services, and three conventional general cargo services, including heavy lift cargo. Direct connections exist with the ports of Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Mumbai, Chennai, Ennore, and Hazira.
© Port of HamburgFor more information:
Mathias Schulz
Port of Hamburg
Tel: +49 40 37709 114
Email: [email protected]
www.hafen-hamburg.de
