Hamburg's Blueprint for Logistics during the Year 2035

The city of Hamburg has unveiled its Logistics Strategy 2035, a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming its logistics sector into a resilient, interconnected, innovative, and future-ready system.

As the logistics hub of Northern Europe, Hamburg is already a key player in the industry. The strategy builds upon this foundation, with a focus on expanding urban logistics and integrating logistical processes more closely into urban planning.

The strategy does not set new goals or timelines beyond the existing ambition of a complete switch to emission-free transport by an unspecified future date. However, it does align with Hamburg's broader aim to become CO2-neutral by 2045. Climate-friendly logistics, such as the circular economy and flexibility through on-demand models, are integral to the strategy.

Megatrends like digitalization and sustainability are driving the transformation of logistics, and the strategy reflects this. It foresees nine action areas, including digitalization, urban logistics, securing skilled workers, and developing alternative, secure supply chains.

The strategy does not just react to changes but takes proactive action. Key to this goal are openness to cooperation, investments in smart technologies, and the development of trusting networks along the entire value chain. Cybersecurity is a topic in the context of digital transformation.

Hamburg is already successfully positioning itself as a test field for innovations like autonomous vehicles or smart traffic control. First measures of the logistics strategy are set to start this year.

Beyond business, chambers, associations, science, politics, and administration, organisations involved in implementing Hamburg's Logistics Strategy 2035 include public institutions and logistics service providers. The Logistics Initiative Hamburg (LIHH), a public-private partnership network, is one such player, with over 500 members from logistics, industry, research, startups, and public entities in the Hamburg metropolitan region. Railway companies such as Deutsche Bahn contribute infrastructure upgrades supporting regional freight transport connected to the strategy.

The strategy continues to involve over 150 actors from various sectors and forms the Hamburg Logistics Network. Kerstin Wendt-Heinrich, Chairwoman of the Logistics Initiative Hamburg e.V., summarized this in her statement. The goal is to establish Hamburg as a pioneer for networked, data-driven, and sustainable logistics.

Solutions like open data, platforms, and cooperative logistics are gaining in importance. The strategy aims to make Hamburg's logistics sustainable, innovative, and competitive. With its focus on digitalization, urban logistics, and climate-friendly practices, the Hamburg Logistics Strategy 2035 is poised to shape the future of logistics in the city and beyond.