PORTS & HARBOURS

Port of Wismar expands to meet growth

18 years ago

Growth in sea and hinterland cargo and port associated industrial settlement prompted a decision in 2005 in the German Baltic seaport of Wismar to go ahead with expansion costing ¢ 13m. That expansion has now begun, even though port growth declined in 2008.

Being built in the east German port, which bills itself with justification as a viable conventional cargo alternative to Luebeck in the west and Rostock to the east, is a new 140m long quay wall. It will create a 12,600 sq/m adjacent operational area in the port’s Natronkai district. Work on preparing an adjacent 15 hectare site for future development was also part of the project.

Parallel to the quay work, which began in December, Wismar is investing in rail infrastructure to integrate Berths 2-9 into the port railway network. Port officials said that would help secure the role played by eco-friendly rail transport in increasing arrival and departure operations.

Port of Wismar management official Heidi Burke told MJ that a consortium comprising Colcrete in Essen and AS Ueckermuende/Heitkamp in Rostock were carrying out quay wall work while the Rostock construction firm of Groth & Co was tackling surface area newbuilding and preparation work. Reports put the cost of that at ¢7.7m. Rail, road and civil engineering firm DAU of Luebz was building the rail links to Berths 2-9, work said to be worth ¢5.3m. The state government of Mecklenburg Vorpommern was paying ¢8.7m of the total bill.

The latest expansion was taking place as economic recession bit into Wismar’s results. Many other German ports have also reported drops in cargo in 2008 and spokeswoman Sigrun Smeilus told MJ Wismar was no different. ‘But we remain optmistic’, she added.