Last year, German ports handled 284.4 million tonnes of goods, with a total of 284.4 million tonnes of goods, Progression of +3.8% over 2024 driven by cargo volumes at the which amounted to 175.9 million tonnes, with a increase of 5.6% on 2024, while the growth in freight volumes boarding was lighter as they were 108.5 million tons handled (+1.1%). In addition, the goods in imports increased by +5.3% to 171.1 million tons, while export goods are increased by only +0.5%, rising to 103.7 million tonnes and the domestic traffic, despite an increase of +15.7%, represented only a small part of the total volume of goods standing at 9.6 million tons.

The German statistical institute Destatis announced today that in 2025 Hamburg confirmed itself as the German port with the largest volume of traffic, having handled 99.8 million tonnes of cargo (+2.9% compared to the previous year) (it should be noted that the Port Authority of Hamburg Traffic of 114.6 million tons, ed.), followed by Bremerhaven (46.9 million tonnes, +10.4%) (it should be noted that the Bremen Port Authority announced traffic for the year 2025 of 9.3 million tons for the port of Bremen and 56.0 million tons million tons for the Bremerhaven plant, ed.), Wilhelmshaven (35.5 million tonnes, +2.7%), Rostock (24.9 million tonnes, +2.7 million tonnes) million tonnes, +7.2%) and Lübeck (15.8 million tonnes, -0,4%).

Destatis explained that in 2025, non-identifiable goods, consisting mainly of loads from containerized goods without detailed information on the product, represented by far the category of largest in German maritime transport, with a volume of of 87.9 million tons, equal to 30.9% of total traffic. I fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas - follow the second place with 40.5 million tonnes, or 14.2% of the total goods handled. In third place are minerals, stones and earth with 31.1 million tons (10.9%) and therefore the chemicals with 20.2 million tons (7.1%).

The institute explained that in 2025 the United States will have the dominant share of maritime traffic in fossil fuels in German ports, with coal landings, oil and natural gas amounted to 39.8 million tonnes, with a slight decrease of -1.2% compared to 2024. Destatis has pointed out that, however, 2025 has seen a new trend different energy sources and countries suppliers: oil imports decreased by -10.8% falling to 25.4 million tonnes, while imports of increased by +2.6% to 7.0 million tons and those of natural gas increased by +49.1% rising to 7.4 million tons. In 2025, the main Germany's seaborne natural gas supplier were the United States with 6.5 million tons (+51.8%). In addition, despite the fact that in 2025 shipments of crude oil from the United States United with Germany have decreased significantly by -23.6% standing at just over 5.6 million tons, the USA remained the main supplier of crude oil by sea of Germany, thus overtaking Norway in first place as it last year the volume of crude oil shipped from ports to the Germans decreased by -27.7% standing at just under 5.6 million tons. The decline in oil shipments by sea from Norway was then even more pronounced than that of shipments from the United States United. In 2025, the USA was also the leading supplier of seaborne coal with 2.0 million tons (+0.1%) and this - observed Destatis - means that shipments of seaborne fossil fuels from the United States to Germany are increased even in the absence of an agreement on tariffs between the United States and the United States. European Union, which has not yet been ratified, which would allow for greater energy imports from the US.

Overall, in 2025, the United States, Norway and the Sweden was the most important trading partner of Germany in maritime transport. If last year the freight traffic between German and US ports is decreased by -3.6% to 28.7 million tonnes, however the United States confirmed itself as the most important trading partner important part of Germany. The ranking of the other countries is also remained unchanged: Norway ranked second place with a total of 26.3 million tons (+1.8%), followed by Sweden with 24.6 million tons (+3.6%). The Republic Chinese People's Degree ranked fourth with 19.7 million tons (+3.1%). Together, these four countries have accounted for just over a third of total freight traffic. Freight traffic with EU Member States was 99.4 million tons (+3.3%).

Regarding container traffic in ports only German countries, reached a total of 15.0 million TEUs in 2025 (+12.4%), of which about a fifth (3.0 million TEUs, +12.1%) is attributable to China, followed by the United States with 8.7% (1.3 million TEUs, -2.4%). Container traffic with states EU member states, amounting to 4.1 million TEUs, has grown significantly by +13.1% and represented just over a quarter of the container traffic of German seaports.

In light of the growing state of crisis in the Middle East, The Institute of Statistics specified that port traffic in direct trade with the Gulf States Largemouth bass is relatively low: about 4.0 million tonnes, accounting for 1.4% of total freight traffic in 2025, are attributable to the coastal states of Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In 2025, a Total of 1.4 million tons of cargo were transported by sea to Oman, 1.2 million tons to the United Arab Emirates United States and 0.9 million tons in Saudi Arabia. In 2025 no goods were transported by sea to Iran. Destatis highlighted that, however, many goods from the Member States of the Persian Gulf reach Europe through primary ports including those from Holland, France, Italy and Belgium, and then are transported to other European countries, including Germany, and therefore the naval blockades currently in place in the Middle East can indirectly affect the supply of Germany.

In the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, the total traffic of the goods in German ports amounted to 70.34 million tons, with an increase of +2.9% over the same period of the year of which 43.25 million tonnes of cargo per year unloading (+2.9%) and 27.09 million tons at loading (+3.0%).