THE trajectory of larger megaships making port calls in Hamburg has persisted throughout the initial half of 2023, manifesting a substantial year-on-year upswing of 15.4 per cent in vessels boasting capacities exceeding 18,000 TEU, reports New York's Journal of Commerce.

Despite a robust enhancement in the Port of Hamburg's trade activity with North America and India during the first six months of the year, these positive developments were insufficient to prevent a nearly 12 per cent year-on-year contraction in overall throughput at this container shipping hub, which ranks as Europe's third-largest.

This decline, totaling 11.7 per cent and amounting to 3.8 million TEU, displayed a more prominent decrease than the corresponding figures of its larger peers in northern Europe, Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Rotterdam witnessed an 8.2 per cent decline in first-half throughput, reaching 6.7 million TEU, while Antwerp reported a 5.2 per cent reduction in volume, accounting for 6.4 million TEU.

"On a comparison with other North Sea ports in the Northern Range, it is absolutely clear that all players in this market are subject to the same tough prevailing circumstances," said Port of Hamburg marketing CEO Axel Mattern.

Import volume was down nine per cent at 2 million TEU, while exports fell 9.5 per cent to 1.9 million TEU.