The Port of Kiel is putting its location and wide pallet of services on display from June 4th to June 7th – along with those of Color Line Cargo and SCA Logistics – at the world’s leading trade fair for logistics and supply chain management, ‘transport logistic’, in Munich. Capacity expansion in ferry traffic to Norway and shipment possibilities in Roll-on/Roll-off services to Sweden are the highlights of this year’s Kiel presence at the fair on Stand 113 in Hall B3. Dr Dirk Claus, the Managing Director of the PORT OF KIEL (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) said: “I am very pleased that we are exhibiting alongside two such strong partners on the Port of Kiel joint stand. The Munich trade fair provides the perfect framework for meeting customers and partners from across Europe and for talking about new projects in the Port of Kiel.” The port is making its BLUE PORT strategy for more sustainability a particular focus of attention in Munich. The aim is to attract more cargo traffic away from roads and onto eco-friendly and congestion-free routes across the Baltic Sea. The sea journey between Kiel and Oslo can for example replace road transport journey of up to 1,000 kilometers on European motorways.
By sea to and from Norway – fast and eco-friendly
Norway’s Color Line has had an additional freight ferry in operation on the Kiel-Oslo route since the beginning of the year and is continuing to expand its fast and environmentally-friendly cargo transport services to and from Norway. The 20 knot “Color Carrier”, with 1,775 lane metres available, makes three round trips every week and complements Color Line’s daily combined passenger and freight ferry departures. The result is that there are now ten departures a week in both directions on what is currently the only direct ferry link on offer between Germany and Norway. All kinds of rolling cargo are accepted for transport, such as trucks, trailers and containers on flats as well as construction and agricultural machinery. The new ship also carries products of the automobile industry, temperature-controlled cargo and goods classified under the IMDG Code. Up to 120 freight units can be carried on each crossing. Commented Dirk Claus: “The new freight ferry is an additional, important stimulus for intermodal cargo transport. We want to transport a growing part of seaport hinterland cargo on the railways.” To this end, intermodal transport services have been re-introduced at the Norwegenkai and the terminal has been connected to shuttle trains serving Hamburg, from where all national intermodal destinations can be reached.
Ostuferhafen access areas expanded for growing traffic
To meet the growing demand for transport services, the access areas to Kiel’s Ostuferhafen are currently being completely remodelled and expanded. “We are investing about € 7.5 million to optimise logistic operations and to significantly expand staging areas for trucks and trailers”, said Dirk Claus. This area, the biggest in the port of Kiel, was developed in previous years into a centre for freight and forest products. Along with rolling cargo (such as trucks, trailers and export as well as import vehicles), containers, project loads and heavy lift goods are handled. Also now firmly established are forest product transport services to and from Sweden with consignments arriving in ever growing numbers. The Managing Director of SCA Logistics GmbH, Jörn Grage, said: “This year in the Ostuferhafen we will handle, store and distribute from Kiel a total of about 800,000 tons of forest products for newspapers, magazines or packaging to destinations within Europe and also overseas.” In twice weekly round trip service, SCA Ro-Ro cargo ships load forest products in the Swedish ports of Iggesund, Sunsvall and Umea for transport to Kiel. On the return journey to Sweden – during which they additionally call at Malmö – the ships carry mainly vehicles, project loads and materials for recycling.
