Dear Mr. Heise,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First of all, let me welcome you to the World Port Security Summit in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
How can I even begin to speak about the Port of Hamburg without painting a picture of the Gate to the World? This would be totally impossible, because this is our essence, and because our city lives from the fact that this gate is always open. Our city as well as our entire region, far upstream. Hamburg, Dresden and Prague trade with Rio and Shanghai. So let us keep that in mind when we think of what this summit means.
For centuries, people, goods and ideas have passed through these gates from the worlds commercial centres to Hamburg, and, in the other direction, out into the world. Every year, more than 10,000 ships arrive, including 166 cruise liners this year, and then make their way back to the North Sea.
Germanys largest port has long held a top position in Europe as well. The container harbour holds second place behind Rotterdam and is one of the most modern in the world. For this reason, too, I think it is only right and fitting for this conference to now take place in Hamburg, following Shanghai, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
Let me take a moment here to thank you for the fact that you have come, some of you from far away and to thank our citys harbour police, which played a great role in organising this event and making it possible to begin with.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Port of Hamburg can look toward the future with the greatest of optimism. It has recorded double-digit growth rates for years. As a result of the European debt crisis, such rates are not to be expected for 2012. Just the same, with 4 ½ million standard containers (TEU) in the first half of the year, the port has still long been an indispensable hub of global maritime traffic. In the first six months of this year alone, just under 66 million tonnes of merchandise were transshipped here, more than two-thirds of this amount in containers.
The success of the Port of Hamburg is due to an especially great extent to the economic development of China and regardless of the current setback to the eastward enlargement of the European Union. These factors have tremendously accelerated the international exchange of merchandise. It is really a hub, by the way, for two-thirds of the goods that arrive here are only passing through.
It is true that the proverb reads: Any port in a storm. But even if you think this is true, you would have to add, today: ... assuming that it is a safe port.
Only a safe port is also a locational advantage. Only a safe transshipment hub promises growth and prosperity.
Our port offers berths for more than 320 ships, and is the home to over 200 companies with approximately 50,000 employees. These include companies which require extreme security oil companies, tank farms, and handling plants for hazardous materials.
As a result of its ever closer involvement with global business, Germany is especially interested in international stability and the unimpeded exchange of goods. Like many other countries, it is highly dependent on a secure supply of raw materials and safe international transportation routes. And, like other countries, we are dependent upon functioning information and communication systems.
Shifts in international relations, disturbances in the flow of raw materials and goods, such as through terrorism and increasing piracy, but also through serious accidents with dangerous goods, certainly have an impact in our interdependent world on the national economy, prosperity, and social harmony.
So it is also in the interest of the security policy of Germany, and especially that of Hamburg, to foster free and unhindered world trade as the basis of our prosperity.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As experts in this field, there is no need for me to explain to you that there is no such thing as 100 percent security. But security measures at least raise the hurdles for attacks and disturbances of all kinds and reduce the likelihood that they will occur.
The Senate of Hamburg has passed the Port Security Act. It calls for the direct application of the ISPS Codes, the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. This involves the construction of a perimeter fence and access controls for harbour facilities. It also includes other obligatory security measures for the port. Let me name the most important of these:
To prevent unauthorised entry into the country via the Port of Hamburg, as well as criminal acts related to terrorism, the police is permitted to stop persons in the harbour area without any specific grounds for suspicion and to verify their identity.
To assess the security relevance of a ship and its cargo in good time, the police must receive ship data 24 hours before it puts into harbour. This data must contain the last ten ports of call, crew and passenger lists, and information regarding dangerous goods on board.
In the Port of Hamburg, cargo units, especially containers, can be opened and inspected by the police at any time.
Persons who deal with security-relevant documents, or who work in special security areas, may be obliged to submit to an examination of their reliability.
And finally, in collaboration with the port management, guidelines have been developed for security measures at a cruise terminal. These involve a standard of security that is almost identical with airport security, including the screening of baggage and the checking of people with hand sensors and scanners.
That should give you an idea of how we make use of Port Security, though I would like to add: In this case, less would not be more. Even if we would much prefer to talk first about other things in connection with world trade, and if some of the limitations mentioned here are not always exactly pleasant for us either.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In addition to the latent danger of terrorism, maritime traffic is burdened by another problem at present: piracy.
Why is this a topic for Hamburg? Of course, the times are long gone since Hamburg was directly impacted by piracy. Germanys most famous pirate, Klaus Störtebeker, and his crew were finished off in a drastic way 600 years ago, when they endangered the North and Baltic Seas with their raids in Hanseatic times.
Todays pirates are active in different parts of the world, particularly off Somalia and increasingly off the coasts of West Africa. This also affects Hamburg interests, however, namely that of German ships, many of which have Hamburg as their home port and belong to Hamburg-based ship owners.
Piracy can and may only be combated with legally acceptable means. This is self-evident and self-explanatory. Defence against these grave dangers and the protection of seagoing vessels for ships under German flag is an official, governmental responsibility. It would be a fatal mistake to confront hostage-takers for this is what todays pirates are with means that are not based on law.
The German Parliament is currently considering legislation concerning the use of private armed security teams for the protection of ships under the German flag. It ensures that they would be certified and be authorised to bear weapons.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In all of the security problems facing maritime world trade whether these involve dangers caused by terrorism or piracy it is vital for all authorities and representatives of the sea transport industry that are involved to work together! After all, only coordinated solutions can be successful in the long term.
What is needed is a network which will help to ensure cooperation between the authorities of the nations and their industry. In this network, joint preventive measures for the protection of ships from pirate attacks can be developed, while information relevant to security can be collected early on and shared by the participants. The more closely we cooperate, the more effectively risks can be recognised and gaps in
security measures can be closed.
This conference, with you as expert participants, can become a component or to remain in the language of the seas a deck frame in this network.
The conference serves as a source of an international exchange of experience and information in the field of maritime, and especially port, security. Learning from one another could be a maxim of this World Port Security Summit.
For we have a shared objective: We want to offer safe, efficient and reliable services to seafarers, travellers, and people doing business in all parts of the world.
I wish all of you, dear guests, intensive talks in the coming days, productive discussions and, of course, a very pleasant stay in the maritime City of Hamburg.
The spoken word applies.