More than 800,000 standard containers more than the previous year
Bremen, 25 January 2005 +++ The EUROGATE network has posted new record results, with more than 800,000 standard containers (TEUs) more than last year. The container-terminal operating group handled 11,530,204 TEUs across the whole of Europe. This equals a rise of 7.5%.
The Group’s strongest-growing handling centre continues to be the EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg. Handling volumes here rose by 11% to 2,273,722 TEUs (2003: 2,046,625 TEUs). Bremerhaven Container Port is the biggest in the Group, counting by operating area and volume, with 3,447,668 TEUs and a rise of 8.3% compared with the previous year (2003: 3,166,583 TEUs). The Italian container terminals saw their handling increase by 6.5% to 5,572,021 TEUs (2003: 5,232,224 TEUs). The LISCONT Terminal in Portugal posted handling figures of 236,793 TEUs, compared with 279,017 in the previous year.
This upward trend is reflected in handling forecasts. For the 2004 business year EUROGATE GmbH & Co. KGaA, KG expects revenues of EUR 475 million, with a result for the year of approximately EUR 50 million. The company will be giving further information on this subject at its press conference, to take place – as every year – in May. The exact date will be published in good time.
To keep pace with the inexorable rise in the container industry, continual increases in capacity are necessary at the container-handling facilities. Deepening work on the Weser and Elbe must be carried out as quickly as possible, so that container ships can put into the ports irrespective of tides or laden weight. Only in this way will it be possible to ensure competitiveness vis-ŕ-vis other north-range ports. In addition, in the 2005 business year EUROGATE will submitting a tender to operate the Jade-Weser Port in Wilhelmshaven. Invitations for tender are already being issued.
