Nordenham, September 6, 2024 - Seaports of Niedersachsen welcomed over 220 guests from the port industry, politics and administration to the 32nd Port Day in Nordenham. The panel discussion on current topics with Niedersachsens Minister of Economic Affairs, Olaf Lies, revealed exciting perspectives and opportunities for the various players, as well as challenges.

Personal exchange, cultivating contacts - Niedersachsens 32nd Port Day was opened today in the seaport of Nordenham by Seaports Managing Director Andreas Bullwinkel in front of a good 220 invited guests from business, politics, administration and the press.

Anlässlich des Hafentags werden die aktuellen Entwicklungen in den niedersächsischen Seehäfen vorgestellt. Mit Blick auf die besonderen Umstände von gleich zwei Eisenbahnbrücken-Beschädigungen und den damit einhergehenden Verkehrseinschränkungen in den Seehäfen Brake, Nordenham und Oldenburg, sind die Umschlagzahlen in der Universalhafengruppe bemerkenswert stabil geblieben: Im ersten Halbjahr 2024 wurden rund 26,5 Millionen Tonnen im Seeverkehr verzeichnet (26,2 Millionen Tonnen im Vergleichszeitraum 2023), mithin also ein Plus von 1% zum Vorjahresergebnis. „Unter Beachtung der besonderen Vorkommnisse an der Huntebrücke, die unsere starken Weserhäfen Häfen deutlich eingeschränkt haben, ist das ein bemerkenswertes Ergebnis“, so Andreas Bullwinkel.

Growth of 2.43% was achieved for liquid bulk goods and a significant increase of 10.23% for solid bulk goods. Container throughput at the EUROGATE Container Terminal in Wilhelmshaven also increased by 1.8% to 298,767 TEU. The weak sales of German manufacturers manifested itself in the automotive sector, with a total of 793,841 vehicles handled in the seaports of Cuxhaven and Emden, 4.1% fewer than in the same period in 2023. The general cargo sector suffered the most from the slump in the German economy as a whole, with a drop of 21.72% to 2.78 million tons, there were significant losses in this segment.

Niedersachsens Minister of Economic Affairs, Olaf Lies, explained: “As the state of Lower Saxony, we will continue to invest in our ports and the associated infrastructure. The state government is supporting the maritime industry and the ports with a smart and targeted port policy so that we are well positioned for the future and remain internationally competitive and efficient. Despite a tight budget situation, it must be clear what a crucial role the ports play: they are the key players and therefore largely responsible for the success of the energy transition and for ensuring a secure, independent and affordable energy supply. And that's not all: efficient ports and reliable hinterland connections are a basic prerequisite for foreign trade and security of supply, but also for national security. Good development of our ports must therefore be seen as a joint national task and finally be treated as a top priority. In order to maintain the competitiveness of our economy in times of transformation, the expansion and adaptation of port infrastructure is absolutely essential. These transformation processes present the ports with major challenges, but also offer a great deal of growth potential in the long term. The urgently required projects involve total investments in the billions. However, the financing of the necessary measures clearly exceeds the financial possibilities of the federal states and companies in the port industry. The federal government, which benefits directly from the ports of Lower Saxony, has a duty here. However, we are already working well together here: The recent notification of berths 5 to 7 in Cuxhaven shows this. We have a plan here, we have the funding - and now we are starting to implement it. My conclusion: we in Niedersachsen are aware of the outstanding importance of the ports.”

In his welcoming address, the Mayor of Nordenham, Nils Siemen, referred to the growing importance of the port for Nordenham as an industrial location and thanked those involved for the rapid repair of the temporary bridge over the Hunte. At the same time, he also found words of warning: “The commitment must not end now, however, but we must use the momentum gained to organize the new construction of the Hunte bridge as quickly as possible. This is essential to ensure that the ports and the entire region can continue to develop positively.”

The panel discussion, chaired by Tim-Oliver Frische (DVV Media Group), in which Economics Minister Olaf Lies discussed with the Managing Director of Steelwind Nordenham, Jost Backhaus, as well as with Michael Körber from DB Netz AG and Michael de Reese as Chairman of AG Niedersächsische Seehäfen, among other things about the industry's demands on modern infrastructure and the necessary structural change in ports, provided exciting insights into the upcoming challenges for all those involved in the seaport transport industry.

Michael de Reese, spokesman for the Niedersachsen Seaports Working Group, emphasizes: “The seaports of Niedersachsen and their companies are taking the lead wherever possible to make their contribution to ensuring that Germany remains competitive as a port and business location. However, the federal and state governments must also live up to their responsibility for the infrastructure and the seaward and landside access routes to the seaports

Following the event, which once again proved to be an important “marketplace” for mutual exchange, the Minister and the members of the State Parliament from the Subcommittee for Ports and Shipping were invited on an excursion on the Weser along the port of Nordenham, during which the perspective developments of the port and industries were presented.