The Indian delegation also included Vipul
Singhal, Director, MoPSW, and Pradeep Sudhakar, Chief Ship Surveyor,
Directorate General of Shipping/Maritime Administration (DGMA).
As
part of the engagements, the delegation visited the HHLA Container Terminal
Altenwerder (CTA), one of the world’s most advanced and automated container
terminals, and interacted with Patrick Krawutschke, Managing Director, Hamburg
Port Consulting (HPC). The discussions focused on modern port operations,
terminal efficiency, automation, logistics planning and the adoption of
advanced technologies in port management.
The delegation also visited
the EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg and held discussions with Tom
Eckelmann, President, EUROGATE. The interaction provided an opportunity to
exchange perspectives on container terminal operations, productivity
enhancement, digitalisation and the evolving role of modern maritime logistics
infrastructure. Further strengthening
the engagements, the Indian delegation held discussions with key
representatives of the Hamburg maritime ecosystem, including Tino Klemm, Chief
Financial Officer, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA); Lennart Kinnau, Head of
Strategy, External Affairs & Communication, HPA; Linda Hastedt,
Environmental Strategist, HPA; Dr. Niels Wiecker, Director, Ports &
Logistics, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour & Innovation, Hamburg; and
Simone Maraschi, Managing Director, Cruise Gate Hamburg. The discussions covered a wide range of
areas, including port modernisation, sustainable and green port initiatives,
logistics management, maritime infrastructure development, environmental
sustainability, cruise infrastructure and future-ready port ecosystems. The series of interactions highlighted the
shared commitment of India and Germany to promoting innovation, sustainability and
efficiency across the maritime sector, offering valuable opportunities for
knowledge sharing and exploring potential areas of collaboration in advanced
port technologies, green maritime practices and integrated logistics solutions. The visit comes at a time when India is undertaking
transformative reforms and major infrastructure development across its maritime
sector, with a strong focus on port-led development, digitalisation,
sustainability and enhancing global competitiveness. The engagements in Hamburg
are expected to further advance India-Hamburg cooperation in port operations,
sustainability initiatives, logistics management and maritime infrastructure,
while strengthening the broader India-Germany maritime partnership through
enhanced institutional cooperation, knowledge exchange and collaboration.