Guanzhe Cao, Head of Asia, duisport Group, duisport – Duisburger Hafen AG, began his speech by saying that Duisburg is significantly different from traditional seaports such as Hamburg or Cologne. In contrast to these vast isolated port areas dedicated exclusively to port traffic, the Port of Duisburg operates as a river port located in the very center of the city. This unique integration into the urban landscape covers 1,550 hectares, including several logistics areas, highlighting the port’s vital role as a land and port authority. Duisburg is not just a landlord, but a comprehensive service provider for its clients and partners.
The port’s operational problems over the past year reflect broader difficulties for the industry, and significant recovery efforts are underway. Despite these setbacks, Duisburg has maintained strong traffic figures, with traffic volumes forecast to exceed 4 million units. Unlike other ports that simply facilitate the movement of goods, Duisburg offers a wide range of solutions for customers. These solutions cover warehousing, transportation services and Container Freight Station (CFS) operations, tailoring their services to meet diverse business needs. This includes packaging logistics not only in Europe, but also in Asian markets, including China and India.
Duisburg’s strategic importance is further emphasized by its clientele, which includes major players in the logistics and manufacturing sectors such as Audi, Ebonic, Siemens and Volkswagen. As a state-owned enterprise, Duisburg also plays a vital role in supporting German industry. The port’s participation in initiatives such as the New Silk Road further highlights its global reach and importance. Despite personal unfamiliarity with Duisburg by people outside the region, its key role in global logistics cannot be overstated.
Duisburg may not be as famous a city as Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich or Hamburg, which are known for their airport, capital status, football and so on. However, Duisburg attracted considerable attention, especially from the Chinese. Notably, the Chinese President made his first European visit to Duisburg, highlighting its importance as a major transit hub for China and a key destination for China Railways. The presence of major players and the frequent arrival of Chinese trains further emphasize the strategic importance of Duisburg.
At first, even those unfamiliar with Duisburg may doubt its significance. However, the city’s prominence becomes apparent once its unique role is understood. As a river port, Duisburg differs from traditional seaports such as Hamburg. Unlike seaports, which are focused on handling large ships and huge cargo, Duisburg specializes in offering efficient, customer-oriented logistics solutions. Its position along the Rhine and its infrastructure, including numerous bridges, limit its capacity for huge ships, but this limitation forces a focus on simplified and efficient cargo handling and intermodal solutions.
Duisburg’s operating philosophy is focused on effectively meeting specific customer needs. Issues of cargo handling efficiency, costs and logistics movements are central to logistics activities. Duisburg places a high priority on minimizing freight transit time and costs, while optimizing the number of logistics movements required. This focus on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction explains why Duisburg has become the preferred destination for Chinese logistics companies seeking reliable and noteworthy partnerships.
Ultimately, Duisburg’s appeal lies in its reliability, logistics expertise and strategic location. Its ability to serve as an efficient intermodal hub has attracted numerous partners, including many from China, in search of reliable logistics solutions.
“One of the important aspects of our work is close cooperation with China. We continue to invest in China through partnerships with companies such as PSA Singapore and China Merchant. An important project is the development of intermodal routes, including the Northern Silk Road and the Middle Corridor. We have also invested in terminals in the Middle East, with a new terminal coming online this year in partnership with Argos. This terminal will provide direct connections between Istanbul and duisport, which will improve logistics and provide quality service to our customers.
The main goal of our port is to provide efficient solutions for our clients. We are not operators and do not plan to become one in the future, so as not to compete with our partners. Our task is to optimize existing solutions and create new opportunities, including the construction of new terminals to increase capacity and support our partners. We strive to be a reliable link in Europe’s intermodal transport network, offering our customers the best conditions for conducting their business,” said Guanzhe Cao.
The future duisport Gateway terminal, which will be one of the largest intermodal terminals in Europe. The first terminal is expected to be completed this summer and begin operations. This project covers an area of 235,000 square meters and includes eight berths for water transport and twelve offices for employees. The terminal will be the first of its kind to run on natural energy without additional energy consumption, thanks to the use of solar panels and other renewable energy sources.
This project took some time to come to fruition due to discussions regarding postal services, but PSA now officially became the new partner and shareholder of the terminal, ensuring the successful continuation of the work. The terminal already has the first, second and third railway lines ready for operation and testing. They also built a new bridge on the left side to make the terminal one-way, which will speed up traffic flows.
“The duisport Gateway project will therefore significantly strengthen our position in European transport, offering innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions. Our strategic partnership with PSA and the introduction of advanced technologies will allow us to continue to provide high-quality services to our customers and partners, strengthening our role in global logistics,” shared Guanzhe Cao.