EuropePorts and Logistics

German port giants Eurogate and HHLA discuss cooperation

Bremen’s Eurogate and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) are widely being tipped in German media circles to be discussing some form of merger.

Acknowledging the rumours, HHLA head Angela Titzrath has gone public to say that there could be a letter of intent for cooperation between the two container port operators by the end of the year.

The two companies will be present today at a German ports association meeting where the merger talk will likely be one of the hot topics.

“To boost operational efficiency and to build a counterweight to an increasingly consolidated field of carriers, HHLA and Eurogate consid- er to establish a set-up under which all of their container terminals at the German ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven, would be transferred to a jointly-held special purpose vehicle,” Alphaliner suggested in its latest weekly report, adding that any deal hatched would likely not include the overseas holdings of the two companies.

HHLA currently has three container terminals in Hamburg, whereas Eurogate has three terminals at Bremerhaven and one each at Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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