German Agency Keen To Take Up Port Development In India

Bremen Business International (BBI) is in the forefront to coordinate investments and technology from the twin city-states of Bremen and Bremerhaven to Indian ports, if the surface transport ministry opens the sector to foreign investment. The ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven, which lie in the northern region of Germany, rank among the fastest and the most effective in the world with their sophisticated logistics.

Wolfgang Hofmann, chief executive officer of BBI, the foreign trade development corporation of Bremen, told Business Standard yesterday that the shipping companies of Bremen would be interested in areas such as the operation of ports (meaning movement of cargo from ship to ports and vice-versa), logistics and distribution, hinterland transport and electronic data interchangers (which would help an exporter or an importer to locate the whereabouts of their luggage).

 

BBI has already made several representations to the government expressing its keenness to invest funds in the Indian ports. But the organisation would like the government to share its database with it to identify the areas within the port segment in which it would like to invest.

We can provide world-class technology to the Indian ports and make them more effective. There are ample opportunities here for possible joint ventures, Hofmann said. Bremen is more dependent than any other place in Germany on the success of its harbour trade and overseas business. Hence, investments from this German would provide the necessary technology and investments to modernise the Indian ports to world standards, Hofmann pointed out.

Bremen also has one of the largest self-contained container terminals in the world called Wilhelm Kaisen Terminal. The extension of the facility to a total of 3.9 kilometre of quay length and 2.4 million square metres of traffic and container storage space will make it the largest of its type in the world.

Trade and shipping have been motivating forces for the development of the Free Hanseatic city of Bremen for centuries and business links with distant countries were already taken for granted by merchants here from the days of the Hanseatic League. The two cities are still one of the most important European ports and trade centres in international commerce, Hofmann said.

Bremen and Bremerhaven cover an area of 404 square kilometre and have a population of over 6 lakh. Their 3 lakh employees mainly work in three sectors: processing industry; trade, merchandise and traffic; and service sectors such as banking and insurance.