Environmental Protection Directive Consulted by the Commission
Revamped and Spiced Up Take:
Let's dive into Germany's trade secrets, shall we? Seaports, baby, seaports—they're the lifeblood of Germany's foreign trade game! Nearly 70% of seaborne foreign trade pens its way through German seaports, and that number's only growing like a boss.
By 2040, goods worth a whopping 87 billion euros will come rollin' in from the Free State of Bavaria, a 30% surge compared to 2019. Dresden's gonna see goods worth over 6.8 billion euros, representing a 95% share in foreign trade, and Kassel's not far behind with a cool 4.1 billion euros.
"Seaports aren't just beach parties in the north," emphasizes Knud Hansen, deputy chairman of the IHK Nord. "They're the unsung heroes of foreign trade for the whole of Germany—from SMEs in Upper Franconia to heavy hitters in the Ruhr area. To keep up this stellar performance, we need investments in efficient transport links between harbors and the hinterland."
According to the IHK Nord special evaluation, German seaborne foreign trade's gonna jump up by around 50% to a staggering 764 billion euros annually by 2040—despite a minor dip in tonnage due to structural changes like reduced fossil fuel imports. High-value goods like machinery, vehicles, and plants are taking center stage.
"With these developments, we need modern and reliable transport routes to keep German seaports on top of their game," demands Hansen. "Germany needs to recognize seaports' connection to the hinterland as a national infrastructure priority, and provide consistent, well-developed, and reliable transport corridors to maintain our competitive edge."
Given their strategic importance, German seaports can't operate on a shoestring budget forever. The IHK Nord is demanding the federal government to up the annual funding for harbor charges to 500 million euros and tap into the special fund "Infrastructure of the Federal Highways" for additional financing. So, put on your big-boy (or big-girl) pants, German bureaucracy, it's time to pony up!
Here's a quick peek at the sector's projected growth:
| Aspect | 2019 | 2040 Projection ||---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|| Foreign trade volume| 347 million tons | 331 million tons || Foreign trade value | 830 billion euros | 1.224 trillion euros |
Bigger trade numbers mean bigger infrastructure investments—but what's the actual demand remain to be seen. Stay tuned for more updates on Germany's trade journey!
[1] Source: Federal Ministry of Transport's 2040 maritime transport forecast[4] Source: Port of Hamburg Authority's 2040 development plan
Industry and finance are essential for meeting the infrastructure demands of rapidly growing public-transit and transportation sectors in Germany, as the increasing foreign trade volumese between seaports and the hinterland necessitate modernized and reliable transport corridors. The IHK Nord is calling for the federal government to increase annual funding for harbor charges to 500 million euros and utilize resources from the special fund "Infrastructure of the Federal Highways" to support this expansion.
