Bamberg, 14.03.2023 – Despite 2022 being a difficult year, bayernhafen showed what it was capable of: 26,000 truck trips (almost 72 per day) were saved by shifting long-distance traffic to the more environmentally friendly modes of transport, rail and inland waterway. bayernhafen moved a total of 9 million tonnes of cargo and freight by inland waterway and rail at its six locations of Aschaffenburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Roth, Regensburg and Passau – at 1.8%, only slightly less than the previous year.

In 2022, bayernhafen Bamberg moved a total of 446,124 tonnes of goods by inland waterway and rail, around 20% less than in the previous year, more than half of which (261,111 tonnes) was transported by rail. This corresponds to around 26,000 truck journeys saved (approx. 72 trucks daily) and a CO₂ saving of 21,218 tonnes. The combined transport terminal handled 25,763 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit), generally containing important goods needed to supply the region’s industry and population. The terminal connects the Bamberg region with the North Sea ports of Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven thanks to regular train connections and thus makes a decisive contribution towards achieving the modal shift.

The volume of goods handled by inland waterway decreased by 36% to 185,013 tonnes. This was mainly due to three factors. Lack of shipping capacity due to the sale of several ships to Eastern Europe to transport grain from the Ukraine to the Romanian Black Sea ports. Further capacity is in short supply on the Main and Danube between Aschaffenburg and Passau as a result of the tremendous demand for coal transport, especially on the Rhine. And lastly, 2022 was a year with severe and prolonged periods of low water.

“Despite the challenges, however, we are seeing considerable interest and a fundamental willingness to expedite the change to inland waterway and rail for transport, not only among our customers but also among companies in Bavaria. This entails undertaking investments to counter the bottlenecks that have developed. To ensure that bayernhafen remains the first port of call, last year we again initiated around €46 million in multi-year investments in our port infrastructure, and this year we’re adding another €28 million – €6 million in Bamberg alone,” says bayernhafen Chief Executive Officer, Joachim Zimmermann, who is also President of the Federal Association of Public Inland Ports. “We act as the backbone for the supply of goods to society and industry. This function should not be constrained or even harmed,” says Zimmermann.

HVO use gets the go-ahead

One of the most significant investments this year include the location-wide HVO refueling project launched in Bamberg. bayernhafen is taking the next step in sustainability by gradually converting its handling equipment to HVO fuel. HVO stands for hydrotreated vegetable oils, and is also known as hydrogenated vegetable oil. This type of organic fuel can be used to completely replace normal diesel. The use of HVO reduces the total amount of harmful emissions in the life cycle of a machine by around 75%, and practically halves pure CO₂ emissions. The only emissions are what the plant had previously absorbed. This makes the vehicles climate-neutral. Since recycled fats and oils are used, it also means there is no competition with food products. bayernhafen has already made firm plans to extend HVO use to other locations and also assumes that the additional price will fall steadily as HVO use becomes more widespread.

“White fleet” makes a comeback

The return of river cruises after the pandemic is developing very positively, with 784 ships laying anchor at bayernhafen’s piers. “This figure is only 10% less than the comparable year 2019,” says Anja Bokeloh, Head of Technology and Operations at bayernhafen Bamberg. “So we are back on track. Almost 800 cruise ships have already registered for 2023.” Despite the recovery, however, the situation for river cruises in general is still tense due to the shortage of personnel: previously many crews and workers were recruited from Ukraine.

bayernhafen is investing €2 million in the installation of seven shore-power charging points for river cruise and cargo ships. The shore-side power supply connection for hotel ships is scheduled to go into service at Quay 5 at the start of the 2023 season. In addition, electricity charging points for cargo ships are to be installed, enabling bayernhafen Bamberg to make a key contribution to a more energy-efficient future.

Job guarantor and new future-proof businesses

The effect of the port on jobs across the region is considerable and is becoming even more important thanks to the steady influx of new businesses. Over 5,000 people are employed by the companies that use the port directly and that partly rely on its infrastructure. Around 1,800 people currently are employed at the 70 or so companies operating from bayernhafen Bamberg today, and the trend is rising.

Bosch is continuing this trend at bayernhafen Bamberg by inaugurating the new 10,000 m² logistics centre in May 2022. After eleven months of construction, Herbst Logistik GmbH, which carried out the construction of the new building, handed over the logistics centre to the automotive supplier. Bosch has the option for further expansion on an adjoining site.

The Biosyntec tank farm in the port has already been receiving biodiesel by rail from Eastern Europe since mid-2021. After the first full year of operation in 2022, the company is now already planning to significantly expand its activities on the adjacent development area.

Furthermore, this year BayWa will begin the expansion of its construction materials business and the erection of a new timber handling centre on Rheinstrasse.

“In our role as location architects, we constantly engage in dialogue with our clients about their requirements. This allows us to work together to develop tailor-made opportunities for expansion and ultimately develop larger sites for special logistics projects,” says Alexander Zeiger, Head of Real Estate Business at bayernhafen Bamberg.

Heavy-lift expertise at bayernhafen

In December 2022, plenty of helping hands and equipment weighing several tons ensured the smooth heavy-lift transfer of the lock gates to inland waterway. The team from the heavy-lift specialist Felbermayr and Merkel Autokrane loaded the four lock gates, weighing a total of around 120 tonnes, onto barge at bayernhafen Bamberg. From Bamberg, the floating giant headed for the Neckar River, unloading at Horkheim and Deizisau. The lock gates are destined to be used at the Hessigheim lock.

Regensburg, 24.01.2023 – bayernhafen is taking an important step forward in sustainability to achieve a massive reduction in CO₂ emissions through the successive conversion of its handling equipment to HVO fuel. The changeover started at the Port of Bamberg with the conversion of two Liebherr material-handling excavators to run successfully on HVO since the end of December.

“We have decided not merely to add HVO to diesel, but to completely rely on the more climate-friendly fuel. We want to make a conscious decision to demonstrate to our industry and the wider world that heavy-lift machinery can also be operated in a CO₂-neutral form,” says Klaus Hohberger, one of the members of bayernhafen’s Management Board.

HVO stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils, but is more typically called ‘hydrogenated vegetable oils’. This type of biofuel is capable of completely substituting conventional diesel, and approvals have already been received from a number of machinery and engine manufacturers to use it in existing engines. “Some manufacturers have already made great inroads in this regard. With others, we are still on the case. We have great potential here in Germany. We may even recoup the additional costs of around 10% compared to diesel through the lower AdBlue consumption in exhaust gas purification. This will mean our operating our machines will be both CO₂-emissions free and cost-neutral compared to diesel,” adds Klaus Hohberger.

The basis for HVO is formed by vegetable oils and vegetable fats, which are then synthesized with hydrogen. The use of HVO reduces the total amount of harmful emissions in the life cycle of a machine by around 75%. CO₂ emissions alone are half of those of diesel, with the only emissions being what the plant had previously absorbed, making our vehicles climate-neutral. Soot, nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions are significantly reduced, resulting in lower AdBlue consumption for exhaust gas purification.

The fuel consumption of the material-handling excavators in Bamberg is almost identical to that of diesel. This means a saving of around 23.7 tons of CO₂ per year at the current requirement of 18,000 liters of fuel. bayernhafen has already made firm plans to extend HVO use to other locations and also assumes that the additional price will fall steadily as HVO use becomes more widespread.

Plenty of helping hands and weighty equipment tons ensured the smooth heavy-lift transfer of these lock gates at bayernhafen Bamberg. The transfer of the four lock gates, weighing a total of around 120 tonnes, onto a waiting barge was carried out by skilled team comprising the heavy-lift specialist Felbermayr and Merkel Autokrane.

From Bamberg, the floating giant headed for the Neckar River, stopping off to unload at Horkheim and Deizisau. The lock gates are destined to be used at the Hessigheim lock.

On the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the Main-Danube Canal, hosted by the Bavarian State Ministry of Housing, Construction and Transport at bayernhafen Bamberg, Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder was joined by Bavarian Minister of Transport Christian Bernreiter, Minister of the Environment Thorsten Glauber and Minister of European Affairs Melanie Huml.

Before the search for superlatives began with the purpose of befittingly classifying the Main-Danube Canal, bayernhafen’s Chief Executive Officer Joachim Zimmermann gave all the guests an insight into just how great the importance of inland ports is today and will be in the future, thanks in part to the canal. “Our inland ports are systemically important. Their role for the economy and society is immense, as they are economic powerhouses and logistics hubs for the transportation and storage of energy and raw materials serving industry and the general public. Without them, the transport and energy transition will not be possible. bayernhafen is perfectly positioned to handle the energy sources of the future. This is where the experts in transportation, storage and distribution of all forms of energy are at home.

This port infrastructure must be maintained, safeguarded and prepared for the future. We need the optimism that was associated with infrastructure in the past. Planning reliability and accelerated planning processes are indispensable prerequisites to boost the innovation from which Bavaria will benefit over the long term. Through the intelligent networking of road, rail and inland waterway, we will be able to guarantee the reliable supply of goods for industry and the general public in the future,” said Joachim Zimmermann, the Chief Executive Officer of bayernhafen and President of the Federal Association of Public Inland Ports (Bundesverband Öffentlicher Binnenhäfen).

Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder described the Main-Danube Canal as one of Bavaria’s great lifelines and a true success story. “Our Bavarian aqueduct also plays a key role in the supply of water in the Free State. Without water transport, northern Bavaria would already be too dry for agriculture. In addition, the canal is an important economic and tourism factor in the region. We will continue to rely on the canal in the future and develop it into a central European transport and water hub,” said Söder.

Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter specifically addressed whether a project of such dimensions would still be just as feasible today. “Yet, what was a bold vision for centuries has now been a reality for 30 years. Thanks to the Main-Danube Canal, Bavaria has become an important link connecting the economic areas along the Rhine and the Danube. Thanks to it, water transport in Bavaria is now an important factor for the economy and a considerable location advantage for local industry and commerce.”

In his speech, the Minister for the Environment, Thorsten Glauber, addressed the environmental aspects and also clearly stated the need for future investment. “Water is life. The Main-Danube Canal is of elementary importance, particularly for the water balance in Franconia. It is a key support for the water balance between southern and northern Bavaria. This water artery will continue to be an important means of combating the aridity caused by climate change in the future,” said Glauber.

Stretching 171 kilometers, the Main-Danube Canal connects the river Main at Bamberg via the river Altmühl at Dietfurt and the river Danube at Kelheim. The technically demanding project was built between 1960 and 1992 starting in Bamberg and opened to traffic 30 years ago. In addition to its importance for transportation and the economy, it also serves to balance the supply of water between the more water-rich southern Bavaria and the rather arid northern Bavaria.

Over the past 30 years, the ports between Aschaffenburg and Passau have developed into important freight hubs and cargo handling facilities for the transfer of goods between road, rail and inland waterway. Today, this multimodal transport is more important than ever to the economy and to the transport transition of the future.

One example of how the various modes of transport are excellently networked is the Port of Bamberg, one of the six bayernhafen locations. A large number of industrial and commercial companies that have settled in the port and in the region also benefit from the container terminal, which they use to import primary products and components and to export their products. Today, bayernhafen Bamberg is the most important freight traffic hub in Upper Franconia and part of the Main-Danube Canal success story. Tourism has also experienced a real upswing thanks to the river cruise ship pier at bayernhafen.

Bamberg, 25 August 2022 – On 11 August 2022, bayernhafen Bamberg welcomed a special trainee: Member of the Bundestag Dr. Jonas Geissler (CSU) swapped his jacket for a high-visibility vest to take a look behind the scenes at the port. bayernhafen comprises the six inland port locations of Aschaffenburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Roth, Regensburg and Passau.

His itinerary included several hands-on stops where Dr. Geissler was able to lend a hand. Among other things, he learned about the classic handling activities at the port when he moved a container using a reach stacker at the combined transport terminal, registered and calibrated a barge, and loaded cargo into the barge’s hold using a mobile excavator.

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Video highlights of the port internship day

The port internship program is a multiplier scheme run by the Federal Association of Public Inland Ports, of which bayernhafen is a member. The aim of the format is to make the role and importance of inland ports accessible to decision-makers in a hands-on way.

“The port internship here in Bamberg was an absolute highlight for me because it was incredibly interesting and varied,” said Dr. Jonas Geissler, who was delighted to have the opportunity for this rather unusual change of perspective. “Here at bayernhafen in Bamberg, you can see the large volumes of freight that we can move in an environmentally friendly way via inland waterway. I would like to see us being able to shift even more freight onto water in the future, the oldest of all infrastructure routes, and I am going to work hard to make that happen.”

Dr. Jonas Geissler discussed the opportunities and challenges of the port together with Klaus Hohberger, member of the bayernhafen Board of Management, and Anja Bokeloh, Head of Technology and Operations at bayernhafen Bamberg, also in the light of the future topics of the energy transition and more environmentally friendly freight transport.

“We were delighted that we were able to show Dr. Geissler our home port of Bamberg in action and that he himself lent a hand. This allowed him to experience first-hand what the port can do to ensure the reliable supply of goods. Thank you very much for your commitment and dedication,” said Anja Bokeloh. As a memento and symbolic recognition for the successfully completed internship, Ms. Bokeloh presented Dr. Geissler with a certificate and a ‘The Inland Ports’ table flag.

Joachim Zimmermann, the Chief Executive Officer of bayernhafen and President of the Federal Association of Public Inland Ports, was also pleased with the positive response: “The port internship enabled us to show Dr. Geissler in the truest sense of the word that the port is not just a place for barges to lay anchor, but an important hub for many transport chains, a hub for the energy transition and a driving force for economic development and employment in the region. We want to anchor knowledge of the performance and importance of inland ports and their infrastructure even more firmly in the public consciousness through intensive insights, such as through port internships or our port festivals.”

bayernhafen Bamberg is now also officially the home port of BOSCH. The new logistics centre was built by Herbst Bamberg  and leased to Bosch on a long-term basis.

The new facility was made necessary, among other things, by the growing need for space due to the introduction of new products. Bosch had announced as early as 2020 that it would start series production of its stationary fuel cell system in 2024. The heart of the fuel cell, the so-called ‘stacks’, will be manufactured at the Bamberg plant. This new product is significantly larger and heavier than existing products. The plant’s supply chains, from suppliers to customers and within the international Bosch manufacturing alliance, will in future be optimized from bayernhafen Bamberg.

The groundwork for the new building was laid by bayernhafen through a multi-stage land conversion process: Herbst Logistik acquired leasehold rights from previous users that they no longer needed, warehouses were demolished, and a 68-metre-high silo tower had to be removed. bayernhafen combined three sites into a total area of 2.7 hectares and provided support during the approval process with the City of Bamberg. On 21 May 2022, Bosch welcomed 3,000 guests to celebrate the inauguration of the building.

For detailed information, see the Bosch press release:

Bosch Bamberg eröffnet neues Logistikzentrum

Bosch opens its new integrated logistics centre on the premises of bayernhafen Bamberg. After eleven months of construction, Herbst Logistik GmbH, which carried out the construction of the new building, is handing over the logistics centre to the automotive supplier. On Saturday, 21 may, prior to the new Plant Section 5 starting operations in June 2022, employees and family members as well as guests from the worlds of politics and business celebrated the inauguration of the building.

Space for new products

The construction of the new integrated logistics centre is in part the manufacturing plant’s response to the growing need for space due to the introduction of new products. This year, for example, Bosch will start series production of fuel cell drives for commercial vehicles. Stationary fuel cells are scheduled to roll off the production line in 2024. The so-called ‘stacks’ – the heart of the mobile and stationary fuel cell – will be manufactured at the Bosch plant in Bamberg.

“The new state-of-the-art logistics centre is a major boost to our site in Bamberg and meets the additional space requirements for the new products, which are significantly larger and heavier than our existing products,” explains Dr. Martin Schultz, the plant’s Commercial Director. During the opening ceremony, the plant management expressed their gratitude for the excellent support provided by the Business Development Department of the City of Bamberg and bayernhafen in identifying the location, as well as to Herbst for the seamless cooperation. “The fact that large construction projects like this can be implemented in such a short time is a great signal for the business location of the City and County of Bamberg,” said Schultz.

The newly inaugurated building complex comprises around 10,000 square metres of production line space as well as office and commercial space. Another 7,000-square-metre production line building is scheduled for completion by mid-2023. “We are pleased that Bosch has decided in favour of our long-term turnkey concept at bayernhafen Bamberg and that we are now able to hand over this tailor-made property,” explains Frank Herbst, Managing Partner of Herbst Logistik. In recent years, the company has developed from a pure transporter to a logistics real estate provider with currently ten locations in Upper Franconia.

Resilient supply chains: Bamberg strengthens Bosch Group’s global logistics network

The plant’s supply chains, both within the international Bosch manufacturing network and externally from suppliers to customers, will in future be optimized from the Port of Bamberg. “We will pool a large proportion of all logistics and warehousing processes at the Bamberg plant in the new logistics centre. This will provide us with a high degree of flexibility and enable us to make an important contribution to further enhancing the resilience of our logistics chains,” explains Bosch Logistics Manager Uwe Fischer. One of the factors making this possible is a state-of-the-art pallet rack warehouse with 9,000 storage positions as well as ten loading ramps, through which around 200 pallets will leave the Bamberg plant every day. The inauguration of the new logistics centre integrates the site into Bosch’s global logistics network with its approximately 775 warehouses and 225 plants. Every day, some 30,000 employees working in purchasing and logistics around the world ensure that the plants are supplied with raw materials and intermediate products and that finished products are delivered to customers. The goal: to create competitive and sustainable supply chains that help ensure a high level of product quality, environmental protection, and social standards. “Starting in June, Bosch Bamberg will supply its affiliated plants and customers around the world with materials and finished products,” says a delighted Fischer. Earlier, during the opening ceremony, the 185 employees who will work in the warehouses and offices in the future had the opportunity to get to know their future workplace and show it to their family members.

Bamberg, 16 March 2022 – bayernhafen brings together a diverse range of goods and delivers the right infrastructure to meet the challenge of shifting long-distance traffic from the road networks to the two environmentally friendly transport modes of inland waterway and rail. In 2021, bayernhafen moved a total of 9.15 million tonnes of cargo and freight by inland waterway and rail at its six locations of Aschaffenburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Roth, Regensburg and Passau – a 4.6% increase on the previous year. In Bamberg, 563,753 tonnes of goods were moved by inland waterway and rail, a significant increase of 20.7% on the previous year’s volume. This corresponds to around 90 fewer truck journeys per day.

At 289,121 tonnes, inland waterway handling at bayernhafen Bamberg in 2021 was well over the previous year’s level, with a 21.9% increase on the 237,187 tonnes moved in 2020. The growth was most keenly felt in the segments of animal feed and agricultural and forestry produce.

Rail handling at bayernhafen Bamberg is also on the right track. At 274,632 tonnes, rail handling in 2021 achieved growth of almost 20%. The main classes of goods transported were containers and agricultural produce. In total, 563,753 tonnes of goods were shifted from the road networks to the more environmentally friendly transport modes of inland waterway and rail.

In 2021, the Combined Transport terminal in bayernhafen Bamberg almost reached the previous year’s level. At 28,880 TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit), the volume is just slightly below the 29,797 TEU handled in 2020. Thanks to scheduled rail connections, the terminal connects the region of Bamberg to the North Sea ports of Bremerhaven, Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven.

“At each of the regions in which we operate we act as a hub for the import and export of goods and are a driver of the regional economy. Our inland ports and the infrastructure they provide ensure the reliable supply of goods to the region as well as the shift to the more environmentally friendly transport modes of inland waterway and rail,” says Joachim Zimmermann, the Chief Executive Officer of bayernhafen. “This requires investment in trimodal port infrastructure and the concentration of logistics companies at the ports. That is why we must emphatically reject the idea of restricting functioning port land through changes of use in the surrounding areas, or using port land for other purposes on a larger scale. In the spirit of mutual consideration, any existing restrictions need to be minimized.”

It is currently not possible for bayernhafen to estimate the extent of the impact the war in Ukraine will have on the economy and hence on the logistics sector and international supply chains, whether on container traffic, agricultural produce or the supply of raw material for industry.

Further optimisation of port infrastructure

In 2021, bayernhafen invested a further € 2.7 million in its port infrastructure and hence in securing the future viability of its locations. The main focus was on projects to develop and maintain its rail infrastructure and shore power units. In 2022, it is planned to invest around € 1 million in the expansion of a heavy-lift transfer site, in rail facilities and in a a flood-proof bollard.

Heavy-weights abound at bayernhafen Bamberg

In 2021, heavy-lift handling at Bamberg played an essential role in the transfer of mega-transformers for the TenneT electrical substation in Würgau. However, in addition, a large number of prefabricated garages and an over-sized steel component for a wind turbine arrived by barge at the port in Bamberg, where they were transferred to dry land. “When it comes to such volumes, the expansion of our heavy lift infrastructure is key to ensuring future viability,” says Anja Bokeloh, Head of Technology and Operations at bayernhafen Bamberg, “When it comes to heavy-lift transport, inland waterway far outperforms all other modes of transport.“ bayernhafen delivers the right infrastructure for heavy or bulky goods and takes the strain off road networks and the environment.

Electrical charging points for ships

bayernhafen is investing € 2 million in the installation of seven shore-power charging points for river cruise and cargo ships. The shore-side power supply connection for hotel ships is scheduled to go into service at Quay 5 in the summer of 2022. In addition, electricity charging points for cargo ships are to be installed, enabling bayernhafen Bamberg to make a key contribution to a more energy-efficient future.

In 2021, 236 cruise ships laid anchor at bayernhafen Bamberg – in 2020, it was only 64. The first ship after the long Corona-related break was greeted in June. Around 800 cruise ships have already registered for 2022.

New companies in bayernhafen Bamberg

The new Biosyntec tank farm has been receiving organic diesel by rail from Eastern Europe since April 2021. The organic diesel is transferred to its tanks from rail wagons at Biosyntec’s dedicated siding to be stored temporarily before being delivered by road to customers and farmers in the surrounding area.

Furthermore, bayernhafen Bamberg-based Herbst Logistik is planning and constructing state-of-the-art logistics real estate for Bosch at the port. bayernhafen laid the ground stone for this project through a multi-stage site conversion scheme.

“This project enabled us to powerfully demonstrate the role we play as site architects,” says Alexander Zeiger, Head of Real Estate Business at bayernhafen Bamberg. “Tailor-made solutions and happy customers strengthen cooperation and, in the process, benefit both the port and the region as a whole.”

It is due to go into operations in the summer of 2022.

Anchors away for the “nickoSPIRIT” as river cruise services return to Bavarian waters: The latest addition to Nicko Cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH’s fleet is not only setting off on its first voyage of the 2021 season, but it is also making its maiden voyage.

145 passengers were on board the 170-person capacity ship, with guests primarily from Germany, but also from Austria and Switzerland. The cruise ship is to travel from Frankfurt to Passau, with an almost obligatory stopover at bayernhafen Bamberg to take in the wonderful world heritage site of Bamberg.

The ship laid anchor during stunning summer weather and, whether guest or crew, you could see the joy on the faces of all on board about the pending water-borne voyage. The “nickoSPIRIT” is also expected to call into bayernhafen Passau-Racklau on 17 June. River cruises have been possible in Bavaria since 7 June after the 13^th Bavarian Infection Prevention Ordinance entered into force. In order for hotel ships to dock at bayernhafen’s ports, the Ordinance places a requirement on the cruise ship companies to present a corresponding hygiene concept.