First German slot-booking system for truckers

The move is important because up until now, this type of slot-booking system has only been offered by in the main ports in the USA and a few terminals in Europe, the Far East and Australia.

Hamburg’s new slot-booking system aims to relieve these peaks and spread the truck handling load equally. The port said that at the same time, the capacity of the terminals will be increased by achieving optimal use of resources and available infrastructure.

Time windows

With immediate effect, all haulage contractors for container deliveries and collections at HHLA Container Terminals Burchardkai, Altenwerder and Tollerort and Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg, must agree a time window prior to arrival.

Trucking planners can notify the requested transport time via an EDI interface or slot-booking website to the relevant terminal. If there is enough capacity at the time given, the slot will be booked for the truck.

Each time slot lasts one hour, within which time the truck is handled with maximum priority at the container terminal.

If the driver misses this slot then he is handled with lower priority, provided there is capacity at the terminal. Very late arrivals result in the time slot being lost with a new booking having to be made.

Slot cancellations, rebookings or exchanges and additional bookings are possible by agreement with the terminal.

Like most European ports Hamburg is trying to cater for ever increasing vessel sizes. With more and more large containerships with capacities of over 20,000 teu calling at the port, up to 14,500 teu can be handled in just one ship call.