Kick-off for the First Estonian-German Port Days in Tallinn

Today, Wednesday, a delegation trip to the first Estonian-German Port Days in Tallinn begins. Around 35 participants want to deepen the cooperation between the ports of the Baltic state and the German port locations of Lübeck and Hamburg with their visit. For example, the Finnish shipping company Transfennica connects the port of Paldiski three times a week with Lübeck. Additionally, there are three weekly container liner services to Muuga, which are handled via Hamburg.

(Lübeck/Hamburg) The delegation is led by Lübeck’s mayor, Jan Lindenau. He is accompanied by Lübeck’s senator for economy and social affairs, Pia Steinrücke, and the managing director of Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG), Sebastian Jürgens. The Hamburg delegation is headed by Niels Wiecker, head of the port and logistics department in the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, as well as Marina Basso Michael, regional director for Europe at Hafen Hamburg Marketing (HHM). Additionally, representatives from the economic development agency and the Chamber of Commerce of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck, the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), Hamburg’s economic development, as well as Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), the shipping company Transfennica, and other logistics service providers are also part of the delegation.

The focus of the delegation trip is the prominently attended Estonian-German Port Forum on Thursday, April 24, in Tallinn – among others with the Estonian Minister of Infrastructure, Kuldar Leis. The event serves as a central platform for exchanging current developments and challenges in the maritime economy of both countries.

Further Expanding Positive Development

“With the port forum, we want to further expand the positive logistical development between Germany and Estonia,” explains LHG managing director Jürgens. “Germany accounts for over eleven percent of Estonia’s imports.” Nevertheless, there are still logistics service providers and industrial companies that choose the land route by truck for transport between the two countries because they are not aware of alternative transport routes over the Baltic Sea. “However, the connection by sea and rail is the most ecologically sensible option,” emphasizes Jürgens.

“An even closer collaboration with the Estonian port and transport economy is a strategic focus for Hamburg in the Baltic Sea region,” says department head Wiecker. “Especially in a geopolitically tense situation, the historically grown partnership with the Baltic states provides a solid foundation for sustainable development and resilience.”

Support from Numerous Partners

The delegation trip is realized through the close cooperation of Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG) and Hafen Hamburg Marketing (HHM) and is supported by numerous partners – including the Port of Tallinn, Invest Estonia, HHLA TK Estonia, the shipping company Transfennica, and the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce.

Photo: © LHG