Our guest is Uwe Oppitz, the Managing Director of Rhenus Ports. He explains how the expectations placed on port operators are being transformed, what effect changes in flows of goods are having on daily work at the ports and the key role that sustainability will play in the port of the future.
What is particularly exciting is that these impressions come directly from the Niedersachsenbrücke facility in Wilhelmshaven, one of the largest coal handling terminals in Germany. This site faces extensive reorganization In the light of the gradual demise in using coal.
One example of the future viability and the change in port logistics operations in this process is the ENERGY HUB Port of Wilhelmshaven. The entire region is currently developing from its current status as Germany’s hub for fossil raw materials to the new hub for the energy revolution, which will focus on the production of hydrogen and importing hydrogen derivatives.
“We’re going to have to rethink our operations in the future at points where our terminals are still heavily involved in the bulk commodities and breakbulk business. We’re expecting liquid consignments like ammonia or LHOCs to increase in the future. That is to say, the infrastructure at the port sites needs to be adapted accordingly and the port operators will have to assume a new role here. This is a major challenge that ports are facing – to remain competitive in the long term,” says Uwe Oppitz.
He uses the Logistics People Talk podcast to explain firsthand the transformation of the ports and discusses the challenges and opportunities that future port technology will offer. Discover more about this in the latest episode of Logistics People Talk!
