Half-yearly balance 2023 shows growing foreign trade

4 September 2023

12.4 per cent year-on-year rise driven mainly by aviation - China, U.S. and India among main importers

Hamburg exported goods worth EUR 26.7 billion - an increase of EUR 2.9 billion or 12.4 per cent - in the first half of 2023, over the same period in 2022, the Statistics Office North announced Thursday (August 31, 2023). Exports of manufactured goods rose by more than a fifth to almost EUR 20 billion driven mainly by exports in the aircraft industry, which grew by 30.6 per cent to EUR 11.6 billion. Imports, on the other hand, remained at the same level with an increase of 0.1 per cent and a total value of EUR 38 billion.

More exports by aircraft industry and machinery

"The export trade in Hamburg is growing significantly. Our companies are internationally competitive, the goods in demand. Aviation's innovative products are proving very successful on the global market," said Dr Melanie Leonhard Senator for Economics. "Hamburg is developing impetus with its aviation companies, leading research centres and more than 40,000 highly qualified specialists in the industry. That is good news and a positive signal in difficult times for Hamburg's economy as a whole." Exports of machinery increased by 28.7 per cent to around EUR 1.3 billion, according to the Statistics Office North.

China, USA and India largest importers

Exports of semi-finished goods dropped by 16 per cent to EUR 4.6 billion in the first half of 2023 mainly because of petroleum products which fell by almost a fifth to EUR 2.1 billion. The largest importers of goods from Hamburg were China (10.8 per cent of all exports), the USA (7.2 per cent), India (7.1 per cent), France (5.9 per cent) and Turkey (5.3 per cent). Imports saw significant increases from Asia (up 11 per cent) and Africa (up 33.5 per cent), according to Statistics North.

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