IMMH

Port of Hamburg

The large diorama "Port of Hamburg" is one of the most labour-intensive models in our museum.

Large Diorama „Port of Hamburg“

The large diorama „Port of Hamburg“ is one of the most labour-intensive models in our museum. It shows a section of the Port of Hamburg (approx. 1/3 of the port area) with the Köhlbrand and the container terminals to the west. Following the miniature models of Deck 9, the scale of this diorama is also 1:1250. The viewer sees the terrain and port facilities from a bird’s-eye view at a height of about 1.5 to 2 km. Several model builders worked on the realisation of the diorama for about seven years. 

Before work began, countless aerial photographs were taken to ensure the most accurate representation possible of the landscape and harbour facilities. Constant changes during the construction phase were taken into account. The viewer quickly recognises the passion with which the model builders proceeded in order to ensure the most exact reproduction of all details.

The Port of Hamburg

At the turn of the century from the 19th to the 20th century, the port of Hamburg was the fourth largest in the world and Hamburg was one of the most important trading metropolises.

The port of Hamburg looks back on a history of more than 800 years; the year of foundation is traced back to the year 1189. At the turn of the century from the 19th to the 20th century, the port of Hamburg was the fourth largest in the world and Hamburg was one of the most important trading metropolises. Today, the port is the third largest in Europe after Rotterdam and Antwerp; in the world ranking of the largest ports, Hamburg is in 18th place. The port of Hamburg is located inland on the Elbe about 70 SM or 115 km from the North Sea.

In 2020, there were around 7,400 seagoing vessel calls at the Port of Hamburg, 50% of which were by container ships alone. In the past year 2021, 8.7 million container units (TEU) were handled via the four major container terminals. The main trade lanes are North-East Asia and the countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The average laytime of container ships in the Port of Hamburg is 36 to 48 hours.

The Container Terminal Burchardkai and the CTH Eurogate

The "Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB)" is the largest port facility of Hamburger Hafen u. Logistik AG (HHLA) and was the first container terminal in the Port of Hamburg, opened in 1968 with just two container gantry cranes.

The „Container Terminal Burchardkai (CTB)“ is the largest port facility of Hamburger Hafen u. Logistik AG (HHLA) and was the first container terminal in the Port of Hamburg, opened in 1968 with just two container gantry cranes. The first container ship to arrive in Hamburg was the „American Lancer“, which moored there on 31 May 1968. The ship was 213 m long and had a container capacity of 1,200 container units (TEU). Today’s large container ships have a length of up to 400 metres with a loading capacity of up to 24,000 units (TEU). The CTB has been constantly expanded in terms of both area and quay length and the number of container gantry cranes, and has been adapted to current needs. Today, 29 container gantry cranes are available at the more than 2,850 m quay length for loading and unloading container ships of all sizes.

The „Container Terminal Hamburg of Eurogate (CTH)“ is located directly opposite CTB; the two are separated only by Waltershofer Hafen. The terminal is owned by Eurogate GmbH & Co. KGaA, KG and is Europe’s largest shipping company-independent container terminal and logistics group based in Bremen. The Hamburg terminal has a quay length of 2,080 m with 24 container gantry cranes. The handling capacity is max. 4.1 million TEU per year.

Transport connections and work processes at the CTB and the CTH Eurogate

The diorama shows the hustle and bustle at both container terminals and the individual work processes are easy to follow.

The diorama shows the hustle and bustle at both container terminals and the individual work processes are easy to follow. Countless floor vehicles from forklift trucks to modern straddle carriers can be seen. Tractor units with trailers attached and container gantry cranes with their wide outriggers reaching over the container ships lying on the quay. Also clearly visible is the road connection directly to the BAB 7 motorway, which leads into the Elbe tunnel in a northerly direction. To the south, you can see the rail connection to the large DB container marshalling yard at Waltershof.

Container Terminal Altenwerder

The area around Altenwerder was declared a port expansion area in 1968.

The village of Altenwerder was originally a typical fishing village situated on the South Elbe, similar to the neighbouring village of Finkenwerder. The area around Altenwerder was declared a port expansion area in 1968. The inhabitants were resettled; the last residents left in 1998. All that remains of the original buildings is the Altenwerder church, which is clearly visible on the diorama not far from the BAB 7 motorway line.

One of the world’s most modern container terminals was built on the former site of Altenwerder and put into operation in 2002. The entire terminal complex was filled with sand to protect it against storm surges up to a maximum of 7.5 m above sea level. The 1,400 m long Ballinkai is equipped with 14 container gantry cranes and designed for a container capacity of max. 3 million TEU per year. Up to 30,000 TEU can be stored temporarily in the 26 block storage facilities located in the centre. 

Above each block storage facility is a gantry crane, which places the containers on one of 86 AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) for transport to the ship. The AGVs are driverless corridor vehicles that are computer-controlled via a corresponding ground network of induction loops. The entire terminal facility is largely automated and is considered one of the first digitalised and most modern facilities in the world.

The Hansaport

The Hansaport at Sandauhafen is located in the former Hamburg-Altenwerder and has been Germany's largest seaport terminal for bulk goods (iron ore and coal) since 1977. It is operated by Hansaport mbH, a joint subsidiary of Salzgitter AG and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA).

The Hansaport at Sandauhafen is located in the former Hamburg-Altenwerder and has been Germany’s largest seaport terminal for bulk goods (iron ore and coal) since 1977. It is operated by Hansaport mbH, a joint subsidiary of Salzgitter AG and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA).

At the 760 m long quay of the bulk cargo terminal, seagoing vessels are unloaded with the help of four unloading bridges with a hook load of 38 t each. Depending on the size of the ship and the type of cargo, up to 100,000 tonnes can be unloaded in 24 hours. The onward transport is mostly done by rail, a smaller part is taken over by inland vessels.

The Köhlbrand Bridge

The four-lane Köhlbrand Bridge with a total length of 3,618 m has spanned the 325 m wide Köhlbrand, an arm of the Süderelbe, since September 1974. An average of 37,000 vehicles use the link between Neuhof and Waltershof every working day, about 36 per cent of which is heavy goods traffic, mainly to the container terminals in Waltershof and Altenwerder and the BAB 7 junction. 

The four-lane Köhlbrand Bridge with a total length of 3,618 m has spanned the 325 m wide Köhlbrand, an arm of the Süderelbe, since September 1974. An average of 37,000 vehicles use the link between Neuhof and Waltershof every working day, about 36 per cent of which is heavy goods traffic, mainly to the container terminals in Waltershof and Altenwerder and the BAB 7 junction. 

Pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds cannot use the bridge. Due to the heavy daily traffic, the bridge will have to be replaced by a new structure (probably a tunnel) by 2036 at the latest.

Oelmühle Hamburg on the Heuhof

Since 1910, the Oelmühle Hamburg, one of the largest oil producers in Europe, has been located directly next to the Köhlbrand Bridge in Neuhof. In 2007 it was sold to the American company ADM. The many large silos in which soybeans, rapeseed/linseed and sunflower seeds are landed directly from the ocean-going ships are clearly visible in the diorama. In the oil mill they are processed into vegetable oil, animal feed or grain meal.

Since 1910, the Oelmühle Hamburg, one of the largest oil producers in Europe, has been located directly next to the Köhlbrand Bridge in Neuhof. In 2007 it was sold to the American company ADM. The many large silos in which soybeans, rapeseed/linseed and sunflower seeds are landed directly from the ocean-going ships are clearly visible in the diorama. In the oil mill they are processed into vegetable oil, animal feed or grain meal.

BLG Auto Terminal on the Kattwyk Peninsula

The Kattwyk peninsula is home to the BLG Logistic Group's car terminal, a central transhipment point for new and used cars for America and Europe. For the modellers of our diorama it was a great filigree challenge to represent the many different vehicle models both in different colours and of various shapes; around 2,000 vehicles were reproduced in detail.

The Kattwyk peninsula is home to the BLG Logistic Group’s car terminal, a central transhipment point for new and used cars for America and Europe. For the modellers of our diorama it was a great filigree challenge to represent the many different vehicle models both in different colours and of various shapes; around 2,000 vehicles were reproduced in detail.