Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft

What Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft does

BEHALA – Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft mbH – is a Berlin state-owned (landeseigene) port and logistics operator founded in 1923, managing two trimodal freight hubs in central Berlin: the Westhafen and the Südhafen Spandau. The company operates rail, waterway, and road transport infrastructure, providing cargo handling, warehousing, storage, and intermodal transport services to industrial partners and Berlin-Brandenburg regional commerce. A secondary revenue stream includes real estate services (office and warehouse leasing within port facilities, including the Westhafen administrative building).

The company's core technology centers on trimodal logistics infrastructure combined with pioneering green logistics R&D. Notable technology assets include the ELEKTRA hybrid-electric push boat (world's first emission-free push boat combining battery-electric propulsion with hydrogen fuel cell technology, christened in 2022), the A-SWARM autonomous shipping system (swarm mobility for inland vessels under development with Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt Potsdam since 2019), and an electric fleet for road and rail operations (Berlin's largest electric truck with street registration since 2014, electric two-way vehicles, and electric forklifts). Complementary solutions include Schwergutshuttle (heavy lift cargo), KoMoDo (cargo bike last-mile delivery), and Mikro-Depot (urban logistics consolidation).

BEHALA's business model is B2B direct sales (sales-led GTM) to industrial customers and regional commerce, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue is generated through negotiated port services contracts and real estate leases. The company is overseen by Managing Director Petra Cardinal, with governance under a supervisory board consistent with German state-owned enterprise norms. A major multi-year capex program (Südhafen modernization 2023-2030, rail track renewal 2025-2027) is funded through state public investment, with no private equity, founder, or venture capital exposure indicated.

Name

Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft

Legal name

Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft mbH

Website

https://behala.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BEHALA is a Berlin state-owned port and logistics operator that runs two trimodal freight hubs (Westhafen and Südhafen Spandau), serving industrial partners and regional commerce with cargo handling, intermodal transport, real estate leasing, and pioneering green logistics technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port & Logistics Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Inland Water Freight Transportation (483211), Warehousing and Storage (4931), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Cargo & Heavy-Lift Transload (TLALAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Commodities Transload (Grain, Feed, Fertilizer, Aggregates) (TLALAFAG), Modular / Prefabricated Building & Module Transport (TLADAGAH), Warehousing, Distribution & Cold Storage Facility Construction (IMAFADAL)

Keywords

• Inland port operations
• Trimodal freight logistics
• Warehousing services
• Cargo handling
• Port real estate

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Port Operations & Logistics Services: Operating trimodal freight hubs in Berlin, providing cargo handling, storage, and intermodal transport solutions combining rail, waterway, and road logistics.
2. Real Estate Services: Managing and leasing commercial office and warehouse spaces within port facilities, including the Westhafen administrative building.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft (BEHALA) operates trimodal (rail, inland waterway, and road) freight hubs in central Berlin, providing cargo handling, storage, intermodal transport, and warehousing services. The company also leases commercial office and warehouse spaces within its port facilities and operates specialized solutions such as a heavy-lift cargo shuttle (Schwergutshuttle), cargo-bike last-mile delivery (KoMoDo), and micro-depot urban logistics concepts.

Product overview

BEHALA operates as a logistics and real estate services provider in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region. The company operates trimodal freight hubs (Westhafen and Südhafen) combining ship, rail, and road transport. Core offerings include logistics services (cargo handling, storage, transport), real estate services (office rentals), and specialized solutions such as the Schwergutshuttle for heavy cargo, KoMoDo for sustainable cargo bike delivery, and Mikro-Depot urban logistics concepts. BEHALA is also pioneering green logistics technology with the ELEKTRA (world's first emission-free hybrid-electric push boat combining battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology) and developing autonomous shipping technology through the A-SWARM project. The Südhafen is undergoing major modernization (2023-2030) to deepen navigation channels and expand rail infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ELEKTRA: Hybrid-electric push boat combining battery-electric propulsion with hydrogen fuel cell technology; world's first emissions-free push boat for inland waterway transport.
• ELEKTRA

Products and services

• Logistics Services Core logistics services including cargo handling, storage, and transport solutions at the trimodal freight hubs in central Berlin, serving industrial partners and regional commerce.
• Real Estate Services Property and real estate services including rental of office spaces in the Westhafen administrative building to port-area businesses.
• Schwergutshuttle (Heavy Lift Cargo Shuttle) Specialized heavy lift cargo shuttle service offering transport solutions for oversized cargo via the port infrastructure.
• KoMoDo (Cargo Bike Last-Mile Delivery) Sustainable delivery traffic solution using cargo bikes for last-mile logistics in urban areas.
• Mikro-Depot (Micro-Depot) Micro-depot logistics concept for future urban logistics enabling efficient last-mile delivery consolidation in Berlin.
• Westhafen Port Facility Main trimodal freight hub located at Westhafenstrasse 1, Berlin, offering ship, rail, and road transport connections in central Berlin.
• Südhafen Spandau Port Facility

Quantifiable outcome

• Freight transport on inland vessels expected to grow 23% by 2030 per German Federal Transport Route Plan
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TU Berlin (Technical University of Berlin)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2019Technical feasibility assessment and development of the ELEKTRA hybrid-electric push boat. TU Berlin provided engineering expertise for the innovative vessel design and energy system.
• Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt Potsdam (Potsdam Shipbuilding Research Station)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Collaborative partnership for developing autonomous inland shipping concepts. Together with BEHALA, developing user concepts to optimize supply chains and exploring applications of boat traffic in established freight transport chains.
• Senatsverwaltung für Mobilität, Verkehr, Klimaschutz und Umwelt (SenMVKU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for Südhafen modernization project, including planning and execution of Kreuzungsbereiche and Schulenburgbrücke infrastructure improvements.
• mehrwert BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin state-owned companies initiative focused on energy and climate transition. BEHALA participates in collaborative efforts for climate protection with other Berlin Mehrwertunternehmen.
• Schiffswerft Hermann Barthel GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShipyard responsible for construction of the ELEKTRA push boat, located in Derben. Built the vessel incorporating hybrid-electric and fuel cell technology specifications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Duisburger Hafen (Duisport): Germany's largest inland port operator based in Duisburg at the confluence of Rhine and Ruhr. Most directly comparable to BEHALA as a state-aligned municipal port operator running trimodal (rail/water/road) logistics infrastructure for industrial partners.
• Haeger & Schmidt (part of HGK): Rhine-based inland shipping and terminal operator owned by HGK Cologne. Directly comparable to BEHALA in inland waterway cargo handling, Schwergut/heavy-lift services, and trimodal port operations for industrial customers.
• Niedersachsen Ports: Lower Saxony state-owned port operator managing seaports and inland terminals. Comparable as a German public-sector port operator with mixed-cargo handling and multimodal infrastructure.
• DeCeTe Detmold (Duisburg): Duisburg-based inland terminal operator specializing in container handling and intermodal transport on German waterways. Comparable niche operator with similar trimodal port/terminal business model focused on inland container traffic.
• Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK): Cologne municipal port and logistics group operating inland trimodal freight hubs along the Rhine. Comparable as a German city-owned inland port operator with cargo handling, warehousing, and intermodal services for industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Imperial Logistics (Imperial Group): African-headquartered logistics group with European inland operations in freight, warehousing, and supply chain management. Comparable B2B industrial logistics platform with multimodal capabilities.
• Hamburger Hafen und Logistik (HHLA): Hamburg-based port and logistics group operating container terminals, intermodal transport, and logistics consulting. Larger and broader incumbent in German port operations; overlaps with BEHALA in intermodal trimodal logistics and rail freight.
• Rhenus Logistics: Major European inland logistics provider with river shipping, warehousing, and contract logistics. Comparable to BEHALA in inland waterway freight, multimodal hubs, and B2B industrial freight handling.
• Kühne+Nagel: Global freight forwarder and contract logistics provider with significant European inland operations and sustainability-driven modal-shift programs. Comparable in B2B industrial freight and intermodal/trimodal logistics.

Emerging players

• DTG Deutsche Transport-Genossenschaft: German inland waterway freight cooperative operating push boats and cargo barges on Rhine and other waterways. Comparable niche operator focused on inland water transport with similar Schwergut/heavy-lift and bulk cargo capabilities to BEHALA's fleet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/behala
• Instagraminstagram.com/behala_wirsindhafen?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft