Freight hub on the river
Cuxhaven is one of the most important port and logistics hubs on the German North Sea coast. Thanks to its strategic location at the mouth of the Elbe River, the city serves as a central hub for international trade, connecting regional companies with global markets. Investments in wharf facilities and infrastructure have further enhanced the city’s competitive advantages.
Quay facilities with a 15.8-meter draft—providing a channel deep enough for seagoing vessels—located directly at the mouth of the Elbe and across from the Kiel Canal, make our deep-water port a thriving hub for the maritime industry. With transport connections via ocean-going vessels, inland waterway vessels, freight trains, trucks, and air freight, Cuxhaven stands out as a central logistics hub for short-sea shipping, freight transport, and heavy-haul traffic to and from Great Britain, Scandinavia, and the Baltic Sea states.
Alongside the traditionally strong fishing port industry, cargo handling in the RoRo segment has grown steadily since the 1980s. As a result, Cuxhaven now plays a key role in Germany for the handling of timber, paper, steel products, project cargo, automobiles, and, not least, fresh and frozen seafood.
Several million tons of cargo are handled annually at the long transshipment and equipment quays in waters deep enough for large ocean-going vessels, general cargo ships, smaller bulk carriers, trawlers, and loggers. Cold storage facilities, processing halls, multipurpose terminals, and RoRo ramps support local logistics service providers in handling all types of flexible transport, from container and heavy-haul to specialized transport.
Over the years, Cuxhaven has also established itself as an important hub of innovation for the maritime industry. In the field of maritime research, Cuxhaven develops practical solutions to the challenges of trade, coastal protection, and sustainable resource use. These include innovative concepts for optimizing port processes, advancing the fishing industry, and developing modern marine technology.
In addition, the German Offshore Industry Center in Cuxhaven is becoming increasingly important for Europe—a trend it has reinforced through massive investments in appropriate quay facilities, unloading equipment, and infrastructure. As a result, Cuxhaven is the only coastal location in Germany with heavy-duty port areas capable of handling the storage and transport of wind turbines, among other things.
With the construction of berths 5–7, additional berths will be completed starting in 2028—a significant step toward making the port even more capable and efficient as a logistics hub for offshore and onshore wind energy projects.
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Company Maritime Economy & Logistics Cuxhaven
Contact us
Juergen from Ahnen
Agency Manager, Managing Director of the Leader Region Wesermünde-Nord
Tel.: +49 (0) 4721 / 599-716
Dipl.-Verwaltungswirt Quay Sawischlewski
Deputy Agency Manager
Tel.: +49 (0) 4721 / 599-719