New Perspective Paper 2025 for the Lower Saxony Ports

The new perspective paper aims to provide orientation and planning security through long-term and forward-looking port policy in Lower Saxony. ‘The economic importance of the ports cannot be overstated,’ said Lower Saxony’s Minister of Economics, Dr. Bernd Althusmann.

(Hannover) – Lower Saxony’s Minister of Economics, Dr. Bernd Althusmann, today published the perspective paper “The Port of Lower Saxony 2025,” developed in collaboration with the Working Group of Lower Saxony Seaports. It outlines the topics and questions that are currently in focus for the ports and the port economy, as well as those that may shape the future. The aim of the paper is to define the medium-term strategic orientations of the Lower Saxony seaports and the future priorities of Lower Saxony’s port policy.

Potential of individual locations should be further exploited

Minister Althusmann stated: “We cannot overstate the economic importance of our ports in Lower Saxony. Therefore, it is very important to me to pursue a long-term and forward-looking port policy and to provide all stakeholders in the ports with orientation and planning security through the new perspective paper, considering current developments and future challenges. In close cooperation with the port economy, we want to support the individual locations in further exploiting their existing potential and thus permanently strengthening and expanding the competitiveness of the Port of Lower Saxony.” Karsten Dirks, spokesperson for the AG Lower Saxony Seaports, added: “With the perspective paper, the state lays the foundation for the Lower Saxony seaports to remain a guarantor for value creation, prosperity, and jobs as a system-relevant universal service provider and logistical interface in international goods traffic in the future.”

Climate protection, digitalization, and port development in focus

The main focus of the perspective paper is on climate protection and digitalization – topics that will significantly influence the future development of the ports. For the Lower Saxony ports, the question increasingly arises as to how a supply of alternative fuels can be ensured through the construction and expansion of the necessary infrastructure. Additionally, the flow of traffic and cargo information in the ports must be intelligently and more strongly interconnected in the future. The perspective paper also emphasizes the preservation and expansion of port infrastructure, such as the planned new construction of berths 5-7 as a gap closure between berth 4 and the offshore base port in Cuxhaven, as well as international cooperation among the ports. Here, both the interests of the Lower Saxony ports and the port location of Northern Germany should be safeguarded, while also advancing cooperation with other coastal states and their port locations, as well as with the federal government. Lower Saxony aims to use the increasing digitalization of the individual ports and the port economy as a basis for stronger northern German port cooperation.www.mw.niedersachsen.de Photo: © Bernd Althusmann on 12.05.20 in Hannover in the Lower Saxony State Parliament. / Photo: Tobias Koch