Rail freight is key competitive advantage for German seaports

(Posted on 23/12/25)

With this year’s Rail Conference “Rail Freight Transport and Seaports”, a joint initiative of Logistik-Initiative Hamburg and Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), the Rail Expert Group (Fachkreis Schiene) has brought together key stakeholders from the maritime and rail sectors. Representatives from railway transport companies, shipping lines, port and hinterland terminals, freight forwarders, policymakers and cargo-owning industry attended the event, which took place on 16^th December at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

The conference made clear that demand for high-performance port infrastructure and for reliable, efficient rail connections continues to grow. Participants were also united in their view that efficient rail links will remain a decisive factor for the future competitiveness of Germany’s seaports. At the same time, the challenge of meeting these growing expectations was acknowledged.

At the opening of the conference, Sebastian Doderer, Head of the Logistics Division at Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser and outgoing Chair of the Rail Expert Group, explained: “Much like in passenger transport, punctuality and reliability in rail freight have declined steadily in recent years. While the modernisation of Germany’s rail network is under way, it will take time. Today, we must focus jointly on those areas where we can already make a difference – for example, on optimising coordination between stakeholders within the port. This has been the core focus of the Rail Expert Group’s work in recent years.”

The importance of rail connectivity for the Port of Hamburg was highlighted by Friedrich Stuhrmann, Chief Commercial Officer of the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA). “Hamburg plays a vital role in rail freight transport in Germany, which is why HPA continues to drive forward the expansion of the port railway with determination. At the same time, it is clear that a rail port can only function as part of an integrated overall system – with strong hinterland connections, high-quality processes and reliable funding. In this respect, Hamburg fulfils a national task that deserves recognition at federal level. We are receiving encouraging signals from Berlin; however, for reliable planning in the years ahead, we are seeking greater certainty,” said Stuhrmann. A range of measures is intended to further enhance the performance of Europe’s largest rail port, including the western bypass of the Alte Süderelbe, the optimisation of shunting operations and the introduction of an integrated slot management system.

During a panel discussion, terminal operators, railway companies and shipping lines also underlined the necessity of well-functioning hinterland transport links. Susanne Neiro, Head of Kalikai at K+S AG, commented: “Hamburg connects – not only via the port, but also by rail. For K+S, this hub is essential in enabling us to serve global markets. That requires a strong rail system with a forward-looking approach.” In order to maintain the competitive advantage of rail freight for Germany’s seaports, various approaches were discussed, including improved coordination of construction works, greater flexibility through additional capacity, and enhanced digital transparency. In particular, improved information exchange between stakeholders was identified as a key lever for increasing the efficiency and capacity of the overall system in the short term.