Hamburg Airport is celebrating a special anniversary: The Hamburg Airport Cargo Center (HACC) is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Since its opening on 30 May 2016, the HACC has developed into an efficient and reliable centre of air freight in Hamburg – Hamburg Airport can now look back on ten years of successful air cargo handling. 

With the construction of the new HACC building in 2016, Hamburg Airport took an important step into the future. The new building, which cost over 50 million euros, replaced the old cargo terminal from the 1960s and created an infrastructure that continues to form the basis for efficient, fast and reliable processes to this day. The approximately 60,000 square metre site has 44 loading ramps, 36 truck parking spaces and three office buildings. The centrepiece is the approximately 20,000 square metre air freight hall. 

 Track record of the past ten years 

The HACC primarily handles time-sensitive goods – from spare parts for the aviation and maritime industries to shipments for the mail-order sector, medical technology, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. A special highlight of recent years: As part of the G20 summit in Hamburg, the HACC handled a gold-plated aircraft staircase belonging to the King of Saudi Arabia – just one example of the wide range of goods handled here.

 A look back over the past ten years shows how adaptable the HACC is: Before the coronavirus pandemic, around 70,000 tons of freight were handled in 2019, in 2020 the volume fell significantly due to the pandemic, before the market recovered noticeably in 2021. During the pandemic, Hamburg served as a key hub for medical supplies such as masks and test kits. The HACC remained efficient in the years that followed: in 2024, around 65,400 tonnes of freight were handled at the site again and in 2025 around 68,400 tonnes – bringing volumes back to almost pre-pandemic levels. Strong airline partners are contributing to this development: in 2025, Emirates, Deutsche Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France and KLM were important air cargo players at the location. 

Digitalisation, efficiency and future viability 

HACC has been evolving steadily since 2016: New technology, optimized processes and ongoing digitalisation are increasingly shaping the location. Hamburg Airport is therefore working closely with its cargo partners to further digitalise processes, make operations more efficient and better manage staff and capacity bottlenecks. Digital solutions such as the Cargo Community System "FAIR@Link" optimise data exchange, traffic flows and deliveries, shorten waiting and handling times and make the best possible use of resources. Ten years after its opening, the HACC thus stands for continuity, efficiency and a forward-looking approach.