This year, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik  is celebrating its 140^th anniversary – while also marking 30 years of successful collaboration with its rail subsidiary METRANS. What began in May 1995 as a strategic investment has since become a cornerstone of the HHLA Group. This pioneering partnership has created a Europe-wide logistics network that has redefined the connection between major seaports and economically dynamic hinterland regions.

“Today, HHLA has established itself as an integrated European network logistics provider. Our Intermodal segment with METRANS plays a pivotal role in this respect, not only in ensuring our competitiveness, but also in achieving our goal of climate-neutral operations,” explains Angela Titzrath, CEO of HHLA. “METRANS provides its clients with tailored, reliable and efficient transport solutions from the quayside deep into the European hinterland. Combining its powerful infrastructure, innovative capabilities and exceptional client focus, METRANS enables customised logistics concepts that are precisely aligned with our clients’ needs. This allows us to connect central ports with important logistical hubs in Europe – reliably, efficiently and with minimal environmental impact.”

Peter Kiss, CEO of METRANS, adds: “Our high-performance rail logistics and terminal-based infrastructure provide the foundation for growth opportunities, both for our clients and for the regions in which we operate. What began as a visionary idea has been evolved within the HHLA Group into a leading network. Today, we offer our clients a dense rail network with more than 650 weekly train connections from Central to South-East Europe. Our mission is to develop solutions today for the logistical challenges of tomorrow – in a spirit of partnership, flexibility and openness to a diverse range of client requirements.”

Establishing a European rail network over three decades

What began in 1995 as a 25 percent stake by HHLA in the then-young METRANS has since grown into a dense and highly modern network of seven major hub terminals and 13 additional rail terminals across eight countries. Trains connect major cities and economic regions across Europe over 650 times a week, from the North Sea to the Black Sea, from the Adriatic to the Baltic. As a result, METRANS facilitates enables resilient supply chains and sustainable transport.

METRANS was founded in 1991 by Jiri Samek, a pioneer of rail freight logistics. His idea: a “hub & shuttle” system with its own terminals and fixed-schedule trains for reliable container traffic by rail. HHLA recognised the potential of this model early on and consistently pursued its development. In 2018, METRANS was fully integrated into the HHLA Group. That same year, the former HHLA company Polzug was also merged into METRANS.

Sustainable and innovative – on track for the future

HHLA’s intermodal companies transport more than 1.8 million TEU per year. METRANS contributes significantly to this figure with almost 30,000 trains a year crossing 19 national borders. The rail operator focuses on energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, using modern electric locomotives, lightweight wagons developed in-house, hybrid locomotives for use at the terminals and a growing number of electric trucks covering the “last mile”. These efforts make METRANS a pioneer in climate-friendly logistics.

A central component to this is the “HHLA Pure” product, enabling clients to arrange their container transport operations with certified low emissions and with an increasingly environmentally friendly approach. HHLA aims to become entirely climate-neutral by 2040. In 2024, METRANS transported around 1.1 million standard containers (TEU) under the HHLA Pure eco-label.

HHLA is also strengthening its presence in emerging markets with METRANS through investments in new terminals – including those in Hungary, Serbia and Romania – and the acquisition of additional railway companies such as Adria Rail in Croatia. Along with its investments in South-Eastern Europe, METRANS is also expanding its network towards the Benelux countries with additional railway companies in the Netherlands and Belgium.

“As a European network logistics provider, we are shaping the logistics flows of tomorrow – connected, sustainable and future-oriented,” adds Angela Titzrath. ”The METRANS landmark anniversary represents three decades of successful collaboration and also serves as an incentive to further expand our role as a driving force in European logistics.”