[ Bremerhaven Auto Hub Accelerates into the future ]

The Auto Terminals in Bremerhaven are steering a growth course. Last y
ear 800,000 vehicles were imported and exported via the seaport. Numer
ous special enterprises have located at the terminals and are making a
substantial contribution to the net value added of this special traff
ic for the region. Bremen’s Port Senator, Uwe Beckmeyer, and BLG Chie
f Executive Hans-H.
Pohl presented a new expertise on the prospects of Europe’s number 1
auto hub up to the year 2005 at a press conference in Bremerhaven on O
ctober 17. Growth of more than 30 percent is an absolutely realistic f
igure.
Beckmeyer estimated that over 3000 jobs in the region are connected wi
th the Bremerhaven Auto Terminal. More than 61 percent of these worker
s are employed at the technical centers and in cargo handling. Other a
reas include forwarding companies, stevedoring, authorities, shipping
companies, brokers, towage enterprises, etc. Total sales related to ve
hicles are around DM 250 million per year with fiscal benefits of near
ly EM 40 million. These results are part of the ‘Automobile Forecast
Bremerhaven 2005’prepared by the Bremen Institute for Maritime Traffi
c and Logistics(ISL). The ISL’s work is based on an in-depth analysis
of the developments in the international automobile sector as well as
on Bremerhaven’s position in the competition with other European sea
ports that are also involved in the automobile business.
In the forecast for the next 10 years transport experts predict signif
icant increases. The forecast estimates a minimum increase in the tern
over of vehicles in Bremerhaven to 920,000 units. The maximum figure c
alculated for the year 2005 is 1,050,000 units. The ‘balance’ in the
direction of traffic, i.e. imports and exports are almost equal, is c
onsidered to be an advantage for Europe’s number 1 auto hub. This mea
ns that auto carriers can discharge as well as load vehicles in Bremer
haven. This ratio will not change in the future. Roughly 700 automobil
e ships sail to Bremerhaven every year. The ISL study predicts increas
es in all transport segments, i.e. for imports and exports as well as
for transshipment and transit. The gross value added from automobile b
usiness is above average according to the study. However, the developm
ent of the job figures is not parallel to that of turnover due to cons
tantly rising productivity, but they could increase to nearly 3700 by
the year 2005.