The Kreetsand shallow water area, completed by the HPA at the end of 2022, continues to attract international attention today as a pilot project for sustainable river engineering. As early as 2013, it was a flagship project of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) and won the PIANC “Working with Nature Award” in 2014. Now, a German-American exchange group (GANBASE) from the “pocacito” network, which focuses on “Nature-Based Solutions” (NBS), has visited the area. 

In total, around 3 million tonnes of dry matter (tDM) of sediment were dredged in Hamburg in 2024, approximately 1.2 million tonnes less than in the previous year. As a result, costs have also fallen significantly. This is due to improved surface water runoff and reduced sedimentation resulting from increased sediment removal and minimised maintenance dredging in previous years. Our new annual report explains how this all fits together, what the constraints were, what we did to maintain water depths in the Port of Hamburg in line with requirements, and what the next steps are.

Is that still water, or is it already mud? And is it still safe to navigate there? These are the very questions being asked at South America’s largest port, the Port of Santos in Brazil. Three experts from the HPA recently visited the site to get to the bottom of the matter.

To ensure safe shipping traffic in the Port of Hamburg, the Hamburg Port Authority carries out what are known as hydrological current measurements. A new episode of “Port is what we do” explains exactly what this involves, who is involved, and why it is so important for the port.

For two decades, the Hamburg Port Authority has been responsible for managing the Port of Hamburg – a vast industrial area right in the heart of the city, operating round the clock. But who actually does all this work? We do! Our anniversary film is a thank you to all our staff who, day in, day out, work tirelessly to keep our port running.

What would Hamburg be without its Elbe beach?! But during heavy storms, a bit of the beach is lost every now and then. That’s when the HPA steps in and washes up fresh sand. Just like they’re doing now at the Alten Schweden. 

For 25 years, we have been providing detailed and transparent reports on water depth maintenance in the Port of Hamburg. These reports cover all dredged volumes, broken down by origin and destination, along with numerous analyses of sediment quality, hydrological conditions and the dredgers we have deployed. This is a comprehensive assessment that takes time to compile. The report for 2023 is now available.

In the hydrological year 2024, there was finally more water flowing from the Elbe catchment area again. We set out the exact figures and the other hydrological parameters in the 2024 hydrological information report.

Nature conservation has a long tradition at the HPA. Every year, the Hamburg Port Authority supports NABU locally. How did this partnership come about, and what projects are being carried out together? You can find out in this new episode of “Port is what we do”.

Marinas and recreational harbours are an important part of the maritime landscape. Their navigability is synonymous with their usability. To reduce silting, the Elbefonds Foundation was established in 2007 by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The foundation supports dredging measures in marinas along the tidal reaches of the Elbe and its tributaries.

185 ports from around the world and 160 companies from the international port industry. The key topics at the International World Ports Conference: How can ports handle goods more quickly and safely? And: How can they become more environmentally friendly? Topics at the World Ports Conference in Hamburg.

What happens if the sediment dredged from the Port of Hamburg is contaminated? It is taken to METHA. The “Port of Hamburg’s washing machine” cleans, separates and dewatered the sediment. We show how it all works in the new “Port is what we do” video.