WILHELMSHAVEN. In January, Shell representatives and Wilhelmshavener WirtschaftsVereinigung (WHV) asked the state government of Lower Saxony to “immediately begin planning and executing the second stage of expanding JadeWeserPort as a multipurpose port, to work quickly and to complete construction as soon as possible”.

OLDENBURG. In February, Lower Saxony’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Housing and Digitalisation, Seaports of Niedersachsen and NPorts took stock and reported a drop in transhipment of seven per cent from 54 million tonnes to around 50 million tonnes for the nine seaports in Lower Saxony in 2023. Container and coal transhipment received the brunt of it.

BREMEN. A member of the UN Global Compact Network Germany since January, BLG LOGISTICS is, by own account, “again setting an example of responsible entrepreneurship”.

WILHELMSHAVEN, OLDENBURG, ELSFLETH. “Lost freight poses a high risk for the environment,” says Professor Christian Denker of Jade University’s Department of Maritime Studies and Logistics in Elsfleth.

BREMEN/BERLIN. Many invited guests from politics, business and administration attended bremenports’ LOGISTICS TALK new year reception at the Bremen Representative Office in Berlin on 17 January to learn about projects associated with Bremen ports.

EMDEN. In late 2023, NPorts set up information boards featuring interesting facts about the seaport’s history at nine different locations at the Port of Emden, including the pumping station and the Outer Port.

ESSEN. DB Schenker has appointed Dr Niklas Wilmking as Global Board Member for Contract Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

BRAKE. Having embraced innovation for more than 200 years, J. MÜLLER published its first Sustainability Report in January in line with the company’s credo, “Staying the Course – Through the Ages”.

OSNABRÜCK. Early in the year, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics managed to secure Bora Argac (right) as new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Germany.

BREMERHAVEN. Representatives of the project’s working group – Bremerhaven’s mayor Melf Grantz, the managing director of bremenports Robert Howe and Jens Diekmann of the Tagubau company – officially initiated the third and final phase of construction for the new Columbus Quay with the first pile at the end of November.

BREMERHAVEN. With an event on board the “Deutschland” training ship, Berufsbildungsstelle Seeschifffahrt (BBS) celebrated the 40th anniversary of its ship mechanic training programme in November.

HAMBURG. In November, the winners of the “MCN Cups 2023” (four categories) accepted their awards for sustainable maritime projects and products in the Helmut Schmidt Auditorium of the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg.

BREMEN. Lena Danisch joined the Transport Overseas (TO) Group’s import department on 1 November.

BRÜSSEL. Early in the new year, Dutch national Karin Orsel (CEO of the MF Shipping Group) became the first woman to head up the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA).

BREMERHAVEN. The design for the new northern mole and the new lagoon at the Weser lido beach is currently under review by the relevant department, after which planning approval documentation will be submitted.

OLDENBURG. Holger Banik will continue managing the NPorts company and JadeWeserPort-Realisierungsgesellschaft until 2029.

BREMEN. In an effort to consolidate its corporate management, Alexander Global Logistics appointed another three members to the management team on 1 January 2024. Monique Geisler (right) and Alexander Hellmers (centre) will now help Carsten Hellmers manage the daily operations of the logistics service provider based in Bremen.

BERLIN, HAMBURG, BREMEN, ROSTOCK. According to an analysis conducted by the Offshore Wind Energy Foundation, which was published in December, the construction of new offshore wind farms could require up to 200 hectares of additional heavy-load-approved space at German seaports up through 2029 and billions in investment over the coming years.

WILHELMSHAVEN. Hapag-Lloyd added Wilhelmshaven to its Atlantic Loop 4 service in mid-January, which connects Northern Europe (Le Havre, London, Antwerp, Hamburg and JadeWeserPort) with the Gulf Coast (Veracruz, Altamira and Houston).

BREMEN. The eleventh BHV Project Logistics Expert Forum was held at the Parliament House on 15 January in line with the motto “Ready for uncertain times”. Around 150 industry representatives discussed the current market situation as well as trends and future prospects again at this year’s event.

BONN. The start of 2024 saw a change in top management at the Federal Waterways and Shipping Agency (GDWS). Lawyer Eric Oehlmann took over from Hans-Heinrich Witte as President.

BREMEN. With effect from 1 January, the Leschaco Group appointed David Williams (left) Global Head of Tank Containers. His predecessor, Maximilian Nause (right), has been named Global Head of Sales.

CUXHAVEN. More than 200 participants, including representatives of the five state governments of northern Germany and the energy and port industries, got together at the Cuxhaven HAPAG Hall in November for the first northern German hydrogen conference, where the importance of coastal states was discussed when it comes to ramping up Germany’s hydrogen economy as well as the seaports’ role in importing green and other fuels.

BREMEN. Matthias Wagner (centre) joined the Transport Overseas (TO) Group as Managing Director on 1 December, taking over from Christian Weber (left), who was appointed Managing Director of TO Global Holding as from 1 January 2024.