A special day for the state of Bremen and the BLG Group: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz paid his inaugural visit to the Bremen Senate today and took the opportunity to visit the BLG AutoTerminal and the EUROGATE Container Terminal Bremerhaven to see for himself the efficiency of Bremen's ports. The visit focused on the importance of seaports for the German economy, the energy transition, and security of supply.
The Chancellor was accompanied by Andreas Bovenschulte, President of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen; Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports, and Transformation; Melf Grantz, Mayor of Bremerhaven; Matthias Magnor, CEO of BLG LOGISTICS; Michael Blach, Member of the Executive Board of BLG LOGISTICS and EUROGATE group managing director, as well as other representatives from politics and business. Together, they learned about automobile handling at the BLG AutoTerminal Bremerhaven—one of the largest automobile terminals in Europe—as well as container handling, which plays a central role in Bremerhaven through the joint venture EUROGATE, in which the BLG Group holds a stake.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized: "I am impressed by the efficiency of this location. The port of Bremerhaven is indispensable for global trade and a strategically important location—not only for Germany, but for the entire European Union. It is also a major employer in the region and contributes significantly to our country's economic strength. Our export economy would be unthinkable without efficient ports such as Bremerhaven."
During the visit, the Chancellor discussed current challenges and future prospects with representatives of the port industry. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of sustainable and adequate financing of port infrastructure by the federal and state governments.
Matthias Magnor emphasized: “The Chancellor's visit sends a strong signal for our location and the entire port industry. Automobile handling at the BLG AutoTerminal Bremerhaven is a significant driver of value creation and employment – far beyond the region. We welcome the open exchange and the attention that the port infrastructure and its challenges have received today.”
Today's visit once again highlighted the importance of Bremen's ports for the German economy, the energy transition, and security—a strong signal for Bremerhaven and the entire region.
