HGK Shipping Gmbh
About us
HGK Shipping is Europe’s leading inland waterway shipping company. With a fleet of more than 350 company and chartered vessels, we transport approx. 44 million tonnes of freight every year. By focusing our operations on the river Rhine and its tributaries as well as the associated canal system, we connect the most important industrial regions in the BENELUX countries, France and Germany. As part of the HGK Group (Link), we are the leading partner in the fields of Dry Shipping, Gas Shipping, Liquid Chemicals Shipping and Ship Management.
Products & services
Gas Shipping
Your specialist for transporting compressed liquefied gases HGK Gas Shipping specialises in transporting compressed liquefied gases. 19 inland waterway vessels in all, including the four largest gas tankers operating on the river Rhine, provide transport services for our customers. More than 50 years of experience, top reliability and sophisticated safety management make HGK Gas Shipping a valued partner for the chemical industry. The main products include LPG (propane, butane) and propylene (polymer/chemical/refinery grade) and ammonia. The commissioning of the new gas tanker GAS 95 is planned for the third to fourth quarter of 2023. It will be used to transport liquefied gases between the ARA ports and the Rhine region. The “GAS 95” will be characterised by enormous flexibility: With its dimensions of 110 metres in length and 11.45 metres in width, its characteristic of remaining navigable even at low draughts, and the design of the cargo system, the gas tanker is also suitable for use in the canals of Western Europe. By means of the installed power management system, the power provided is optimally adapted to the power demand, thus reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Once again, the concept, basic idea and engineering of the newbuilding were developed in the Design Centre of HGK Shipping. The “GAS 94”, which will enter service in 2021, served as a valid basis for further development and an absolute reference in terms of low-water optimisation. In addition, the forward-looking design was once again developed on the basis of the clear ideas of the transport management experts at HGK Gas Shipping GmbH in Hamburg. This ensures that the new construction programme of HGK Shipping will equally meet socio-political requirements and the needs of the chemical industry.
Liquid Shipping
HGK Liquid Chemicals Shipping – using experience to reach our destination Transporting liquid chemical products with or without any hazardous goods classification on about 60 company and chartered double-hull tankers has been the major focus at HGK Liquid Chemicals Shipping for many years. We are a long-standing partner of the chemical industry, providing reliable supplies and disposal for cargo such as acids, alkalis and many other liquid products. We transport about 6 million tonnes on the river Rhine and its tributaries as well as the North-West German canal region, to and from the chemical centres in the ARA region, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. HGK Liquid Chemicals Shipping has been operating since 1922 and therefore has decades of contract-based customer relations and they are centrally managed from the Dutch town of Druten within the HGK Shipping Group. We transport sensitive liquid products using about 30 special ships that are unique in Europe; we provide some exclusive supply and disposal solutions for our customers and have the necessary quality systems to transport the goods in a reliable and safe manner. In addition to our existing optimised cargo space for navigation routes and lot sizes, we are currently developing our fleet in the form of new vessels with innovative drive systems and payload capacity that is optimised for shallow-water levels.
Coastal Shipping
Our subsidiary Amadeus Schiffahrts- und Speditions GmbH has established itself in coastal and maritime shipping over the past 25 years. With a fleet of a total of 9 river-sea vessels in the range between 2400 and 3100 tdw, Amadeus is on the move for its customers on all short sea – routes throughout Europe in tramp shipping. In addition, Amadeus offers logistics solutions as a broker for part and full charters up to Supramax loadings (65,000 mt).
HGK Dry Shipping
Your complete transport partner for push boat and dry shipping Within its dry shipping division, HGK Dry Shipping mainly transports bulk and break bulk consignments such as solid fuels, building materials, cereals, animal feed and fertilisers, but also heavy items and waste disposal products using approx. 250 company and chartered vessels. The division transports about 38 million tonnes of goods every year through using individual concepts. Our shipping routes cover the complete river Rhine area including all its tributaries (Mosel, Main/Main-Danube Canal, Danube, Neckar) as well as the entire North-West German canal network with its rivers. We also operate on the waterways in the Benelux countries, northern France and Poland.