The quality and efficiency of the northern German ports’ hinterland connections define their competitive potential. The assessment of gross domestic product achieved within a certain travel period via rail, road, inland waterways and intermodal freight transport provides a major indicator for the competitive positioning of the northern German ports. To measure this potential, we use simple travel time matrices for different modes of transport. The achievable purchasing power of the hinterland territories is thereby a prime determinant of port competitiveness. The European Union’s Trans-European Transports Network programme (TEN-T) may advance Hamburg and Bremen/Bremerhaven ports’ competitive situation by improving their hinterland accessibility, removing cross-border bottlenecks and upgrading infrastructure and streamline transport operations throughout the EU.

The quality and efficiency of the northern German ports’ hinterland connections define their competitive potential. The assessment of gross domestic product achieved within a certain travel period via rail, road, inland waterways and intermodal freight transport provides a major indicator for the competitive positioning of the northern German ports. To measure this potential, we use simple travel time matrices for different modes of transport. The achievable purchasing power of the hinterland territories is thereby a prime determinant of port competitiveness. The European Union’s Trans-European Transports Network programme (TEN-T) may advance Hamburg and Bremen/Bremerhaven ports’ competitive situation by improving their hinterland accessibility, removing cross-border bottlenecks and upgrading infrastructure and streamline transport operations throughout the EU.