Blue-lit HHLA container opens Blue Port Hamburg

“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,” explains internationally renowned light artist Michael Batz. “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 official Blue Port lighting ceremony began on Wednesday evening with the arrival of the blue illuminated container on an electric heavy goods vehicle belonging to HHLA’s freight forwarding subsidiary Container-Transport-Dienst (CTD). Light artist Michael Batz, Angela Titzrath, CEO of HHLA, and Hamburg Senator for Economic Affairs Dr Melanie Leonhard pressed the start button.

Hamburg residents and visitors from all over the world can view the entire artwork until September 21. Until then, the port, Speicherstadt historical warehouse district and HafenCity will be bathed in magical blue light. HHLA is making a significant contribution to this light spectacle: a total of 17 container gantry cranes at the Altenwerder, Burchardkai, Tollerort and O’Swaldkai terminals are impressively illuminated, as are another ten cranes in Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt, the company’s headquarters.

For HHLA, the launch of the Blue Port also marks the culmination of the blue illuminated container’s journey. It was unveiled in May during a spectacular show at the 836th Hamburg Port Anniversary and sent on its approximately 13,000-kilometre journey through the European HHLA network. With this anniversary campaign, HHLA is underlining its brand claim “The Power of Networks” on the occasion of its 140th anniversary. The blue container visited the HHLA port terminals in Trieste, Italy, and Tallinn, Estonia, as well as the METRANS terminals in Prague and Dunajská Streda, among others. To mark HHLA’s anniversary, cranes outside Hamburg will also be illuminated in blue for the first time during this year’s Blue Port: two container gantry cranes from HHLA TK Estonia in the port of Muuga, near the Estonian capital Tallinn, and three rail gantry cranes at the METRANS hub terminal in Prague.