CTD Container-Transport-Dienst, a subsidiary of terminal operator Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), is alleviating traffic in areas surrounding the Port of Hamburg by conducting more journeys at night. For containers which are being moved between depots and container terminals around Hamburg, the short distances involved often mean transport conducted by trucks.
Due to an increased traffic volume and pressure on port infrastructure, CTD decided to transfer the majority of its cargo throughout the night.
Specifically, from the 50.000 containers that CTD trucks transhipped in 2018, 20,500 were moved in one night, providing a decrease in the strain of transport on Hamburg and its local community.
This means that 41% of all transshipments were carried out between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
For Steven Treder, team leader for local transportation at CTD, this was a great success:
In our planning, we try to schedule as many trips as possible during the night shift. This ensures a more even utilisation of our vehicle fleet while also increasing capacities during the day.
It also means the trucks spend less time waiting in traffic, which makes transport planning more reliable and also serves to protect the environment.
Moreover, another solution the port found to fight traffic and congestion includes transferring containers through inland waterways and rail networks.
The establishment of a new rail connection between Hamburg and Bremerhaven, which CTD has operated with fellow HHLA subsidiary Metrans since the end of 2018, has so far replaced almost 300 journeys by truck.
Ralph Frankenstein, Managing Director of CTD, commented
We are not committing to one particular mode of transport. If a customer requests transportation by rail and subsequent delivery by truck, they will be offered these services from a single source.
