Alternative Baltic port gets cash to restructure

Otto Ebnet, Minister of Transport in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the German coastal state in which not only Wismar but also all the other main former GDS seaports lie, announced that his state would put up €8.7m of the total investment in subsidies.He said, ‘We want to secure the competitiveness of Wismar sea port in the long term and will continue to invest consistently in its port infrastructure.’

A spokeswoman for the Port of Wismar, which is secretive about all its developments, said it was too early to provide details of the projects.

The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Government however, said €7.7m is being spent in first stage restructuring of the Natronkai. To meet the growing demand for handling and space among industrial companies in the area in a sustainable manner, a new 140m quay would be built to provide a transport area of around 10,000 sq/m, it said.

Investment in rail siding for berths 2 to 9 will cost a further €5.3m and

€546,000 will be spent on preparing areas for multifunctional port handling.

Wismar has increased handling from 2.9m tons in 2003 to 4.14m tons last year, when it modernised stowage areas and quaysides. Officials said that modernisation had contributed greatly to 2007 turnover, up 6% on 2006. They have predicted a similar increase in handling this year.

To help cope with the needs of local industry and increase cargo handling and bigger vessels in general, Mecklenburg Vorpommern applied to the German government last year for deepening of the shipping channel in the Bay of Wismar from 9.5m to 11.5m.

By Tom Todd