The 15,000 readers of Asia Cargo News and subscribers to its E-News have again voted the Port of Hamburg ‘Best Seaport – Europe’. After three endorsements as such in 2015, 2016, and 2020, as well as the ‘Best Global Seaport’ in 2018 and 2019, this is now the Port of Hamburg’s sixth award. Anne Thiesen as the Representative of Port of Hamburg Marketing accepted the award at the official prizegiving ceremony.
The awards are annually conferred by Asia Cargo News. They aim to honour such leading service providers as airline and shipping companies, airports and seaports, as well as logistics and 3PL companies and other industry specialists, comments Asia Cargo News.
This year promoters conferred a total of 49 awards in a very wide variety of categories. Two new awards were added this year to reflect changes and recent growth in the sector: ‘Best Logistics Provider – E-Commerce’ and ‘Best Logistics Provider – Storage’, to honour leading companies in this rapidly developing and expanding area.
Asia Cargo News annually determines the criteria for nomination. After the initial evaluation, the best eight companies in each category are put to a final vote. The four best in each category then constitute the final list for selection.
Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) is among the eleven nominees for the ESPO AWARD 2021
On another side, The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) is among the eleven nominees for the ESPO AWARD 2021. With its project “Culture is calling at the Port of Hamburg”, the Hamburg Port Authority applied for this year’s award as an ESPO member.
In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ESPO (European Seaport Organisation) has focused this year’s award on promoting the regional, cultural, and social offers in port cities. This year’s award will therefore be given to the port management that, through its projects and activities, contributes to the strengthening of the local community and the social, cultural, and economic recovery after the crisis.
Because culture has suffered particularly from the pandemic, the HPA’s project aims to strengthen this sector of society. To help, core areas of the port were opened for cultural events. The port is considered the heart of the city of Hamburg and has now also become a stage under the challenging conditions of the pandemic.
This is how, for example, the creative concert format “Cruise Inn” has been developed. It started in 2020 on the forecourt of the Steinwerder terminal and was continued in 2021. Well-known artists perform at concerts and open-air events next to the Steinwerder cruise terminal.
This year, around 2900 visitors were able to experience the event from numbered seats rather than from their cars. The ‘Strandkorb Open Air’, another recently established event, is a combined concert experience with beach feeling. The traditional German beach chairs were able to guarantee enough physical distance and hygiene – and at the same time create the feeling of being on holiday. This idea was awarded the German Tourism Prize 2020. Also, this year all events took place during ongoing cruise operations.
In 2020, there was a total of 33,000 visitors at 81 events, and this year the programme offer has been further expanded, the HPA reports.
Besides the Hamburg Port Authority, ten other ports have submitted a project for the ESPO Award 2021. Guadeloupe Port Caraïbes (France), Piraeus Port Authority (Greece), Dublin Port Company (Ireland), Port Network Authority of the Northern Central Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy), Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea – Port of Taranto (Italy), Port of Gdansk (Poland), Port Authority of Ceuta (Spain), Port Authority of Valencia (Spain), Port Authority of Vigo (Spain), and Ports of Stockholm (Sweden) (in alphabetical order by country), are all in the running for this year’s Award.
The ESPO Award-winning port will be selected by an independent jury of international experts, under the Chairmanship of Dimitrios Theologitis, former Head of Unit of Ports and Inland Navigation in DG MOVE at the European Commission. The winner will be announced at the ESPO Award Ceremony and Dinner taking place on 9 November in Brussels.
