Port of Hamburg — Mobile App

The Project

For Hafen Hamburg Marketing e.V., we developed the official mobile app of the Port of Hamburg — a cross-platform application for iOS and Android that provides both tourists and port professionals with comprehensive information about Germany's largest seaport. The app combines real-time vessel data, interactive maps, tide forecasts, and an editorial port guide in a modern, trilingual interface.

Challenge

The Port of Hamburg, as Europe's third-largest container port, required a mobile solution serving diverse target audiences: tourists want to watch ships and explore the port, logistics professionals need current vessel and tide data, and media representatives seek news and image material. The app had to display large volumes of real-time data performantly on maps, be offline-capable, and function in three languages — while delivering native performance on both platforms.

Core Features

• Real-Time Vessel Tracking: Live tracking of vessels in the Port of Hamburg on an interactive map — with vessel details, routes, expected arrival and departure times, and filter options by vessel type.
• Interactive Port Guide: Curated points of interest around the port with categories, descriptions, images, and distance display — including AR-like compass navigation to nearby locations.
• Tide Forecasts: Current and predicted tidal data with graphical visualization of the tidal cycle — essential for shipping traffic and port logistics.
• Liner Services: Overview of all regular shipping connections with departure times, routes, and associated shipping lines — searchable and filterable.
• News & Media Library: Current port news and a comprehensive media library with images and videos — fed directly from the port's CMS.
• Trilingual Support: Fully localized in German, English, and Chinese — with language-dependent content delivery and localized map labels.
• Push Notifications: Personalized notifications about vessel movements, port events, and current announcements with user-defined preferences.
• Favorites System: Vessels, locations, and liner services can be saved as favorites — for quick access to frequently needed information.

Technical Highlights

• Cross-platform with Flutter for native performance on iOS and Android from a single codebase
• Performant map rendering with vector-based rendering for smooth zooming and panning even with hundreds of simultaneous vessel positions
• Efficient data caching for fast load times and limited offline functionality with weak network connections
• Modular architecture with clean separation of UI, business logic, and data sources for easy maintenance and extension
• Responsive map interaction with adaptive detail depth based on zoom level and context-dependent information layers

Result

The app provides visitors and professionals of the Port of Hamburg with a central, mobile access point to all relevant port information. Real-time vessel tracking is a highlight for port visitors, while tide forecasts and liner services offer genuine added value for the logistics industry. The trilingual implementation also reaches the port's international clientele — especially the growing Asian market.

Download the App