Representatives of Hamburg’s port and maritime industry placed a strong focus on deepening co-operation and strengthening dialogue with partners in Chennai and Mumbai during an official delegation visit by the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to India. In New Delhi, discussions with representatives of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Invest India further reinforced bilateral relations.
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Against the backdrop of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India, Hamburg’s delegation underlined the importance of diversified trade relationships and the growing significance of India as a key trading partner. The delegation was led by Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and Innovation, Dr Melanie Leonhard. She was accompanied, among others, by Jens Meier, CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority and President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), Hendrik Meyn, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, as well as senior representatives of the maritime industry.
During a high-level meeting with representatives of the Mumbai Port Authority, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, the Indian Ports Association and the Regional Representation of the IAPH, discussions centred on the exchange of strategies for climate-neutral port development. The Hamburg delegation contributed practical expertise, including experience gained from the development of shore power facilities.
At the event “Ports in Conversation – Hamburg meets Mumbai”, representatives from both locations discussed the capacity, resilience and sustainability of the ports of the future. In addition to expert presentations from Hamburg, a high-level panel discussion focused on the long-term strategic orientation of maritime infrastructure, including the transformation of port areas and the development of cruise terminals.
India is already one of the Port of Hamburg’s most important trading partners. From 2020 to 2024, direct container throughput with India recorded growth of 21 per cent. This positive trend continued in 2025, with India ranking sixth among the Port of Hamburg’s most important partner countries in seaborne container traffic at year-end.
“The Port of Hamburg recorded a new volume record of 290,000 TEU in direct trade with India in 2025. This represents impressive growth of nearly 50 per cent compared to the previous year and clearly demonstrates the dynamic development of trade with the subcontinent. The delegation visit to India is a further building block intended to generate additional momentum for cargo flows, investment and logistics partnerships,” said Hendrik Meyn, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.
The Port of Hamburg is connected to India by twelve liner services: six container liner services, three RoRo services and three conventional general cargo services, which also handle heavy lift cargo. The Elbe metropolis maintains direct links with the Indian ports of Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Mumbai, Chennai, Ennore and Hazira.