Kiel Seaport Records Significant Increase in Cargo Volume

The Port of Kiel has achieved a significant increase in cargo volume in the first half of the year. From early January to the end of June, a total of 8.25 percent more goods were handled compared to the same period last year. The ferry traffic grew disproportionately, achieving an increase of 12.7 percent in loaded trucks and trailers.

(Kiel) Dr. Dirk Claus, Managing Director of PORT OF KIEL: “In the cargo sector, we are on the right track. Declines from the previous year have been more than compensated for in terms of volume.” At the same time, the pandemic has also had structural impacts on port operations. In cross-border traffic, the number of unaccompanied cargo units has increased by more than a quarter. Of the approximately 100,000 trucks and trailers handled, more than half were unaccompanied for the first time. The largest increases were recorded on the routes to Gothenburg in Sweden and Klaipeda in Lithuania. In total, 3.66 million tons of cargo were handled in Kiel in the first half of the year.

East Side Port Strongest

The strongest part of the port was the East Side Port with the forest product and logistics center. From there, the ships of the Danish shipping company DFDS operate nine times a week, offering the highest departure frequency from a German port to the Baltic States. On the route Kiel – Oslo, since June, in addition to the “Color Carrier,” the “Color Magic” and “Color Fantasy” are back in service, which are now also contributing to growing transport and passenger numbers in Norway. Dirk Claus: “The easing of Corona regulations was crucial for the cautious resumption of sea tourism in the Baltic Sea region. In Kiel, we have seen a positive development in passenger numbers since the end of May.” By the end of July, the port has already recorded 60 calls from cruise ships with around 100,000 passengers without major incidents. Dirk Claus: “Under the current circumstances, this is a good result. Compared to pre-pandemic times, we have achieved just over half of the call numbers. Next year, we expect further normalization.”
Photo: © Port of Kiel