Hamburg port expansion stalls as officials drop tree‑cutting plan after petition

Hamburg’s economic authority, together with container terminal operator Eurogate and the Hamburg Port Authority, had planned to fell the Elbwald trees along the Bubendey riverbank to build a new container terminal. The proposal triggered the "Elbwald retten" (Save Elbwald) petition, which has collected over 7,000 signatures and aims for at least 10,000 supporters this summer.

Economy Senator Melanie Leonhard and HPA chief Jens Meier announced at a joint press conference that the existing terminals will be automated first, eliminating the need for replacement land. Leonhard said the automation can proceed without new berths, and Meier added that the plan to create additional berths is therefore no longer justified. The petition’s chair, Franz Hermann, noted the shift, stating that with only 60 % utilization of current terminals there is no reason to spend €1.1 billion of public funds on unnecessary new berths.

The officials’ reversal has halted the intended tree removal, pending the outcome of the petition and further environmental review.