Blue container on tour in Europe: HHLA launches anniversary campaign

With an impressive backdrop on stage with Elbe in Concert, the blue HHLA container was presented to the public for the first time as part of the 836th port birthday celebrations. In the next few weeks, it will travel through Europe by road and by rail – to major HHLA hubs such as Prague, Budapest, Tallinn, Trieste and others.

“We have been shaping European logistics for 140 years. From the unique warehouse complex of Hamburg’s Speicherstadt historical warehouse district, HHLA has evolved to become a key player in European goods traffic,” says Angela Titzrath, Chief Executive Officer at HHLA. “Every day, we connect people, markets and companies – across borders. Hamburg is at the heart of our network: it is from here that goods are shipped across the world, while containers are transported to their destinations in the European hinterland via the rail network of our rail subsidiary METRANS and then by road. Our bright blue container makes these far-reaching connections visible in impressive style – it represents the efficiency and reach of our European network.”

A special highlight awaits the container upon its return to Hamburg in September: as part of the 10th Blue Port Hamburg event, it will be illuminated once again in the port – with the staging provided by the internationally acclaimed light artist Michael Batz. “Since 2008, I have been bathing the Port of Hamburg in bright blue light every two years. This year, the light will be travelling through HHLA’s European network in order to highlight the significance of Hamburg as a logistics hub,” Batz explains. “The blue container represents the interconnectedness of Europe, as well as the power of modern logistics and the ability of light to bring people and ideas together.”

The Elbe in Concert festival has been a fixed element of the Port of Hamburg’s birthday celebrations since 2024, which around one million people are expected to attend. “We are proud to be able to make this special show possible by drawing on our infrastructure and the expertise of our employees in the Port of Hamburg,” says Carolin Flemming, Director of Corporate Communications at HHLA. “With The Power of Networks, we unveiled our new brand claim last year. It represents the strength and efficiency of HHLA’s logistics networks. We are now giving this claim life: the container’s journey tells authentic stories from our network – from the Baltic to the Adriatic, by rail and road.”

HHLA operates one of the most efficient logistics networks in Europe. With seaport terminals in Hamburg, Tallinn, Trieste and Odessa, as well as over 20 inland terminals operated by the rail subsidiary METRANS, the company links economic hubs efficiently and sustainably. Hamburg is at the heart of this: every second hinterland container reaches or leaves it by rail. No other seaport offers such ideal conditions for the environmentally friendly transportation of rail freight.