summer journey - Baerbock visits International Seabourt Courthouse and Harbor
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock continues her summer trip in northern Germany this Friday with a visit to the International Seabed Court (ISGH) in Hamburg. She is scheduled to have a conversation with ISGH President Tomas Heidar. According to the German government, the ISGH is a central part of a comprehensive dispute resolution system to which the contracting parties have submitted themselves for all disputes among them regarding the interpretation or application of the Seabed Convention.
The ISGH has exclusive jurisdiction in certain cases, such as disputes in deep-sea mining. The ISGH also has exclusive and binding jurisdiction in urgency proceedings for the immediate release of a ship detained by another state, if the involved states cannot reach an agreement within ten days.
In the afternoon, Baerbock will visit Hamburg Port and Logistics (HHLA) to inform herself about the challenges there. She is welcomed by the second Hamburg Mayor Katharina Fegebank (Greens) as well as several HHLA board members. At the Container Terminal Altenwerder, she will speak with its managing director Patrick Krawutschke. In the evening, Baerbock is a guest at a discussion event of "Zeit".
In recent years, there was a prolonged dispute in the traffic light coalition about Cosco's entry into the Hamburg Container Terminal Tollerort. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) spoke out in favor of the acquisition. The Foreign Ministry and other departments initially expressed serious concerns about such a decision by the cabinet due to security reasons. In the end, the terminal was classified as critical infrastructure. Cosco could only acquire a significantly smaller stake, as originally planned.
- Annalena Baerbock's summer journey also includes a visit to the city of Schleswig-Holstein, specifically in Germany's second-largest city, Hamburg.
- The International Seabed Court (ISGH) in Hamburg is a significant entity, particularly for countries involved in deep-sea mining conflicts.
- recently, Germany faced conflicts within its coalition government over China's Cosco's proposed acquisition of a stake in the Hamburg Container Terminal Tollerort.
- If urgency proceedings are initiated at the ISGH for the immediate release of a detained ship, the involved states must reach an agreement within ten days or face binding jurisdiction.
- The Federal government's stance on conflicts like the Cosco case often involves discussions with the Armament Industry due to potential national security implications.
- The HHLA, where Baerbock will visit in the afternoon, has faced challenges in its operations, which could be a topic of discussion with Baerbock and its managing director.
- Despite resistance from some departments, including the Foreign Ministry, the Federal government classified the Hamburg Container Terminal Tollerort as critical infrastructure, affecting China's proposed acquisition.
