HHLA, Waste Separation and Recovery at Its German Sites
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) operates terminals in the Port of Hamburg. Its annual report describes a waste management system for its operations (HHLA, 2025). The company states that it reduces refuse and separates rubbish for recycling wherever possible, so that reusable waste can go back into the resource cycle (HHLA, 2025). The reported volumes cover HHLA's German sites and refer to operations only. They exclude construction measures and equipment decommissioning (HHLA, 2025).
Approach
Separate hazardous from non-hazardous waste. HHLA distinguishes between non-hazardous and hazardous waste in its reporting (HHLA, 2025). This split is the starting point for handling each stream by the right route.
Send spoiled cargo to energy recovery. Fruit waste is the largest stream. It includes fruit, such as bananas or pineapple, that is no longer suitable for consumption or processing. In 2024, it made up 41.8 percent of waste, at 3,249 tonnes. Of this, 3,152 tonnes went to an external biogas plant to generate electricity (HHLA, 2025).
Recycle metals from equipment. Mixed metals include items such as steel cables from container gantry cranes or yard cranes that are no longer fit for use. This stream is fully recycled. In 2024, it came to 807 tonnes (HHLA, 2025).
Report each stream separately. HHLA reports volumes by waste type. Packaging made from paper, cardboard and mixed paper was the third-largest type of waste by volume. Scrap wood and building timber came to 252 tonnes in 2024 (HHLA, 2025).
Extend the life of materials. HHLA uses retreaded tyres for container handling equipment and container chassis. It also cleans and reuses used oils on site. It uses recycled building materials to maintain terminal areas (HHLA, 2025).
Results
Total waste recorded at HHLA's German sites fell by 9.1 percent to 7,769 tonnes in 2024, from 8,544 tonnes in 2023 (HHLA, 2025). Biogas from fruit waste produced 627,984 kWh of electricity in 2024. Mixed metals were fully recycled. The Hamburg terminals used 21,340 tonnes of recycled building materials in 2024 (HHLA, 2025).
Transferability
DMC ports can take three lessons from this case. First, split hazardous and non-hazardous waste at the source and report them separately. Second, identify the largest streams at each terminal, such as spoiled cargo, and find a local outlet for them, such as a biogas or composting plant. Third, report each waste type by weight every year, and exclude one-off construction waste, so that trends can be compared over time. Ports can start with the streams that already have a local buyer or processor, then add others over time.
Sources
All information used for this case study was based on publicly available resources.