Hamburg has always kept Germany high in container port performance rankings. The port is well positioned to serve the German market as well the hinterland of Austria, Switzerland, and eastern countries such as Russia. However, its status as second-ranking northern-range box port, after Rotterdam, fell to Belgium's Antwerp last year. There are two reasons for this. First, Hamburg's important feeder business to Russia collapsed because of the trade embargo imposed by the European Union after Russia's annexation of Crimea. Short-term prospects of restoration of this business appear bleak.
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