Friday, June 7, 2013

LA, Hamburg Ports Sign Partnership Agreement

The Port of Los Angeles and the Hamburg (Germany) Port Authority on June 6 signed a five-year agreement that paves the way for increased cooperation and partnership between the two.

The two ports have agreed to share strategies and best practices on topics ranging from port infrastructure, environmental and security challenges, and strategies to enhance trade competitiveness.
“I am delighted to have the Port of Los Angeles as a partner with whom we can share experiences and discuss, on equal footing, subjects of interest and concern,” Jens Meier, Managing Director of the Hamburg Port Authority, said. “It is always a good thing to look over the rim of your tea cup and benefit from a mutual exchange of views.”

The agreement was signed at the International Exhibition for Logistics, Mobility, IT and Supply Chain Management conference taking place in Munich.

The two ports have said the collaborative agreement could potentially benefit U.S. and international maritime and environmental companies from the transport and logistics industry as the two seaports share best practices with respect to equipment and new technologies.

“We have been fortunate to have a close collaborative relationship with the Hamburg Port Authority,” Port of LA Executive Director Geraldine Knatz said from the International Exhibition. “This agreement formalizes and expands our partnership and I expect it to be beneficial to both ports in the years ahead.”