Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG has placed its first remote-controlled rail gantry cranes into operation at Container Terminal Altenwerder.
HHLA said the technology would improve the efficiency and productivity of rail handling at the Port of Hamburg.
Künz manufactured the new rail gantry crane and delivered it to the terminal in 2025. The crane was designed specifically for remote-controlled operation.
HHLA also retrofitted an existing rail gantry crane during the project. Operators can control the upgraded crane either manually from its cabin or remotely.
The terminal has gradually introduced the remote-control technology since the beginning of 2026.
HHLA has trained rail gantry crane operators and technicians to use the new equipment.
Operators will control the cranes from ergonomically designed workstations inside the terminal building. The company said this approach would support the continued development of port job profiles.
The new crane has a track width of more than 41 metres and spans nine railway tracks at Container Terminal Altenwerder.
Its total working width reaches approximately 90 metres. In addition to the railway tracks, the crane can reach preliminary queuing areas on both the water and land sides.
“We are pleased with the successful commissioning of the remote-controlled rail gantry cranes. They will make a significant contribution towards boosting efficiency and productivity in rail processing,” said Jens Hansen, Member of the HHLA Executive Board.
“We are thus strengthening the clear competitive advantage of the Port of Hamburg as the leading rail port in Europe. We will consistently continue to build on this. For this purpose, we will consider optimisations such as remote operation for future projects,” he added.
The Port of Hamburg is Europe’s largest rail port. Approximately half of its hinterland containers arrive at or leave the port by rail.
In 2025, rail transported around 2.6 million TEUs through the Port of Hamburg. Most of these containers moved through HHLA’s terminals.
All three HHLA container terminals in Hamburg operate their own rail terminals, with tracks capable of accommodating block trains.
