The Port of Hamburg enjoyed another record year in 2006 with container throughput again being the main motor for growth by handling 8.9 million TEU, a year-on-year growth of 9.6 per cent.

A port statement said Hamburg handled 774,000 more TEU and showed the highest increase in terms of the number of containers handled in comparison to the other major ports in the region, such as Antwerp, Rotterdam and Bremen.

The average growth rate for container throughput in the northern European ports was 8.6 per cent and the total cargo volumes increased by 4.7 per cent. "The Port of Hamburg was able to surpass both of these levels and to increase its share of the market," the statement added.

Trade with China was described as "booming" bringing the Port of Hamburg a record volume of 2.6 million TEU. The port's container shipping to and from destinations in east and southeast Asia showed double-digit growth rates, handling a total of 4.8 million TEU to and from Asia.

The total volume of sea cargo handled in the facility increased by nine million metric tons, or 7.3 per cent, to reach a record 135 million tons.

"Despite the continually increasing level of containerisation, conventional general cargo is still an important sector for the port business in Hamburg," the statement said.

Speaking at the annual press conference, Hamburg's senator for economy and labour, Gunnar Uldall, said: "This continuing success shows that the Port of Hamburg must go on investing to remain competitive. The city has already begun expansion of the infrastructure in the port and will go on investing in optimising the existing areas and in the construction of a new container terminal in the centre of the port area."

At the same time, the port is also deepening the channel in the Elbe River to accommodate vessels with a maximum draught of 13.8 metres.