Since the end of 2017 the port of Hamburg has had a mandatory slot booking procedure for container deliveries and retrievals. In addition to the HHLA and Eurogate container terminals, three container depots and the Veterinary Office are participating in the procedure. Other companies and authorities are interested.

The slot booking procedure is characterized by the fact that the truckers need to arrange time slots for their container deliveries and retrievals. The primary advantages include smoothing out the timing of truck arrivals at the terminals during peak hours, greater transparency with regard to the anticipated truck volume, an improved planning basis for resource use and significantly reduced waiting times for truck drivers.