With a new representative office in Prague, the ports of Bremen want to further expand their good market position in the Czech Republic. A corresponding agreement between the port management company bremenports and the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DTIHK) was presented on 19 February in Bremen.
Senator for Economics, Labor and Ports, Martin Günthner: “With the reorganization of the port marketing last year, we have decided to increase our presence in important hinterland regions. In addition to Austria, the Czech Republic is an important market both in the area of containers and automobiles. With the new representative office in Prague, we want to accompany developments in our neighbouring country even more intensively than before. The bremenports representative office shall beat the drum for the port location Bremen/Bremerhaven. ”
The trade relations of the Czech Republic with the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen are developing very dynamically. In 2018, the Czech-Czech trading volume rose by 14.6 per cent year-on-year and reached a record level of EUR 848.4 million. This is more than the Czech trade with Canada or the United Arab Emirates. By far, motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts dominate trade – with 35 per cent participating in joint foreign trade in 2018, followed by clothing, metals, foodstuffs and machinery.
bremenports Managing Director Robert Howe emphasized that the new cooperation is about to strengthen lobbying work on the ground. He pointed out that there had been very good experiences with a representative office in Vienna in recent years. “Both in supporting our own local marketing activities and in helping companies in the Bremen port and logistics industry, this form of “on-the-spot presence “ has proven to be extremely effective.”
Robert Howe: “In the container sector, the Czech Republic is the most important European hinterland partner. There are three direct container train connections to the Czech Republic. The rail terminal in Prague is after Regensburg the most important station in the container segment. Given the competition in the market, it is wise to accompany this market even more closely than was previously the case.”
In the future DTIHK will provide bremenports with this lobbying work for the ports of Bremen. As goals of the cooperation are described:
- To generate new cargo flows for the ports of Bremen,
- To secure current charge flows,
- To observe activities of other (competitive) ports,
- Recognize new developments in good time as well
- Integration in logistics activities
In addition, the DTIHK provides the following services:
- Initial consultation of German and Czech companies,
- Minor research and information transfers,
- Events of the DTIHK in Bremen / Bremerhaven for the information of interested companies
- Mentioning of potential investors from the Czech Republic.
In order to achieve these goals, the new bremenports representative office keeps in contact with large-scale shippers in the Czech Republic, forwarding companies, railway operators, associations and terminals, and will be presenting the port and logistics location Bremen / Bremerhaven at its own lecture events. The ports of Bremen will be joining in future at least once a year, within the Czech Republic. The well-established event series Logistics Talk will also take place regularly in the Czech Republic.
The ports of Bremen are among the most important universal ports in Europe. Whether containers, cars, bulk and bulk cargo, dangerous goods or project cargo – the terminals at the locations Bremen and Bremerhaven work with almost any type of cargo.
