HCCR expands rail transport for empty containers in Hamburg

The Hamburg Container and Chassis Repair Company (HCCR), a subsidiary of HHLA, is expanding the rail transport of empty containers from its depot on Altenwerder Damm. In 2025, approximately 20,000 standard containers were moved by rail to hinterland destinations, a trend expected to continue through 2026.

The expansion follows the reactivation of a decommissioned railway siding in 2015 and its subsequent refurbishment in 2022. The facility is now capable of handling block trains up to 720 metres long, which can carry roughly 100 containers at a time. This consolidation allows shipping lines, freight forwarders, and leasing companies to move large quantities of equipment more efficiently than via heavy goods vehicles.

Key destinations for these containers include southern Germany and Austria, where they are primarily used by the automotive industry and its suppliers to load export goods. HCCR Managing Director Jens Gutsch stated that shifting to rail relieves pressure on road traffic in the Port of Hamburg and on German motorways while reducing emissions and improving sustainability.