HHLA

1885–1945

Hamburg's state quay administration was founded in 1866. Its role included organising transloading for the city and the maintenance of both the wharfs and the equipment and machinery on them. In March 1885, the city founded the Hamburger Freihafen-Lagerhaus-Gesellschaft (HFLG). As part of Hamburg's inclusion in the German Imperial customs system, the company's role was to build and maintain the world's most modern and largest logistics centre at that time – Hamburg's Speicherstadt historical warehouse district. It was an Aktiengesellschaft from the very beginning, with the city contributing the property and Norddeutsche Bank the capital. Construction of the Speicherstadt warehouse district began in 1885 and was largely completed by 1912. By 1913, the Port of Hamburg was the third-largest in the world behind the ports of London and New York.

During World War I (1914–1918), the Royal Navy blocked the seaports of the German Reich. This brought business in Hamburg and its port to a complete standstill. In the Treaty of Versailles, the allied powers forced Germany to give up the majority of its merchant navy. Companies such as HAPAG were, however, able to retool in the coming years. In 1927, the City of Hamburg became the sole shareholder in HFLG.

The effects of the Great Depression (from 1929), protectionism in many industrial countries, the seizure of control by the National Socialists (1933) and their autarky policy saw cross border trade drop to levels lower than before the crisis. In 1935, HFLG merged with the state quay administration to become the Betriebsgesellschaft der hamburgischen Hafenanlagen. As well as operating the port facilities, it was also responsible for their upkeep and expansion. In 1939, the company was renamed, becoming Hamburger Hafen- und Lagerhaus-Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA). During World War II, HHLA employed forced labour. Allied bombers attacked the Port of Hamburg multiple times, destroying large parts of it.

1945–2000

The Second World War ended in May 1945. The Port of Hamburg had suffered further damage. Around 90% of the quay shed area was destroyed, and two thirds of the warehouses were left unusable. Large parts of the quay walls lay in ruins. Almost 3,000 shipwrecks prevented regulated shipping movements. The reconstruction of the port was largely completed by 1956.