Transport in Hamburg haulage companies registered, with 19,985 vehicles (lorries, semitrailer tractors, truck trailers, semitrailers), and a cargo capacity of , and 15,623 employees. The port of Hamburg is situated in a distance of 110 kilometres from the mouth of the Elbe river, off the North Sea. In 2007, the port was the second-largest in Europe and ninth-largest worldwide. 9.8 million containers were handled in Hamburg in 2007, a ten percent increase on 2006. In 2008, inland water transport had a quantity of freight of (1000 t), and maritime shipping a quantity of (1000 t). Both increased compared to 2007. The importance and
Port centric logistics Port centric logistics Port Centric Logistics as a concept in supply chain management has developed since around the turn of the millennium. Multimodal transport driven container logistics operations typically utilise ocean-going vessels for long-distance movements, with inland movements undertaken by barge, rail or truck. Conventionally the container is unloaded from the ship at the port and transported to an inland destination by intermodal freight transport. In the port centric approach, the container is unloaded (or "unstuffed") at the port and its contents are then transported inland e.g. as palletised freight. The port centric approach is not appropriate for all supply