19 Bremerhaven Throughput: 5,500,709teu (+12.4%)

One of the best performers in the northern European range, throughput at Bremerhaven surged by 12.4% in 2008, allowing it to climb one place in the ranks of the world's busiest ports. Operated by Eurogate and partners MSC and APM Terminals, the port saw the completion of its Container Terminal Four (CT4) development in September 2008. At a cost of €445m (US$575m), CT4 sees the addition of 1,680 metres of new quayline and represents the final expansion of the box handling footprint in the port. Future growth will take place at Jade-Weser-Port at nearby Wilhelmshaven, which will be operated by Eurogate and APM Terminals.

In April last year, Eurogate took delivery of the first four of five ZPMC super post-panamax STS gantry cranes capable of serving the world's largest mega containerships. Eurogate says its policy of so-called "dedicated terminals" – whereby MSC and Maersk have dedicated berths – proved successful for Bremerhaven in 2008. NTB, operated by Eurogate and AMPT, saw 12.1% growth, while MSC Gate, operated by Eurogate and MSC, grew by 33.9%.

Despite benefiting from buoyant volumes on various shipping routes – like those to South America or South Africa – the effect of the economic crisis at the end of the year was reflected in a substantial drop in container handling activities.

As the crisis deepens, Bremerhaven's dock labour pool has been hit hardest of the German ports, forced to make more than 1,000 out of 2,700 workers redundant to escape insolvency.