Shipping - Exchange of blows in the citizens' assembly on shipping company deal
The planned entry of the world's largest shipping company MSC into Hamburg Hafenlogistik (HHLA) at the Hamburg port has once again led to a heated debate in the Hamburgische Bürgerschaft. CDU, Linke, and AfD accused the Red-Green coalition on Wednesday in the Aktuelle Stunde of endangering the future of the port and numerous jobs with this "centuries decision." The CDU demanded the cancellation of the planned vote of the Bürgerschaft and further negotiations on the deal. Linke and AfD spoke in favor of letting the Hamburg residents vote on it.
However, representatives of SPD and Greens defended the plans. The MSC entry enables the necessary investments at HHLA. Furthermore, the cargo guarantees given by MSC secure the future of the port.
According to the Senate plans, the city and the company belonging to the Italian shipping family Aponte will jointly manage HHLA in the future, with the city holding a majority of 50.1%. Previously, the city owned approximately 70% of the publicly traded HHLA. In return, MSC plans to build its German headquarters in Hamburg, increase cargo volume from 2025 and reach one million standard containers (TEU) per year by 2031. In addition, MSC and the city intend to increase HHLA's equity capital by 450 million euros.
CDU harbor expert Goetz Wiese called the plans a serious political and economic mistake. "What was planned as a liberating blow was a blow into the water and a slap in the face for many port employees," he said. "The weakness of HHLA is the result of 13 years of failed port politics." Hamburg cannot strategically depend on just one company for the next 40 years. This could result in cargo losses for other shipping lines. "The experts, the dockworkers, and the port industry are saying: You're going the wrong way," Wiese said, looking at the Senate bench.
Norbert Hackbusch, the harbor policy spokesperson for the Left, pointed out that MSC, with its minority stake, could block all investments of HHLA in the future. "This means that Hamburg can no longer do anything without the shipping company MSC (...), and that's a mistake," he demanded a citizens' vote "like in the Olympics," so that the entire city could decide on the future of its port "and not a small circle."
AfD parliamentarian Krzysztof Walczak spoke of a "high-risk operation at the Hamburg port," which the Senate had decided on in a "night-and-fog operation." Red-Green must explain "why a large private investor should bail them out," Walczak added. Lack of transparency is "the birth defect of this deal and the reason why Hamburg rejects it."
FDP parliamentarian Anna von Treuenfels-Frowein also warned against MSC's influence on the entire port. "No strategic decision can be made without MSC's approval anymore," she said. "Hamburg is de facto only a junior partner."
The Co-Faction Leader and economic expert of the Greens, Dominik Lorenzen, dismissed concerns that the MSC entry could negatively impact jobs and co-determination rights at HHLA. The jobs are secured for at least five years. "Red-Green will continue to be a guarantee for the protection of employees' rights at HHLA," he said. There is also justified criticism of the deal. But it is a question of weighing pros and cons. "The image they want to paint here that everyone is simply against this deal is nonsense," he accused the opposition.
"There are risks, which we have never denied, but there is also a need for action," said Senator for Economics Melanie Leonhard (SPD). MSC will bring growth to the port. "The employees of HHLA need this growth to shape their future." Without the MSC deal, the necessary change will not succeed.
Anyone who opposes the MSC entry must also say where the money will come from instead, said Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD). "Where will we still have Euros and capital that we urgently need for the HHLA restructuring in the coming years?" In addition, one has not "easily attached oneself to any partner." Years of negotiations with potential other partners have not led to success.
Last week, the Finance Committee of the Senate approved the Senate plans against the votes of CDU, Left, and AfD. The report of the Senate to the Assembly for voting is scheduled for the last session before the summer break in two weeks.
Agenda
- The CDU, Linke, and AfD criticized the Red-Green coalition for potentially endangering the future of the port and jobs with the planned entry of MSC into HHLA.
- The SPD and Greens argued that the MSC entry would enable necessary investments at HHLA and secure the port's future with cargo guarantees from MSC.
- According to the Senate plans, MSC and the city would jointly manage HHLA in the future, with Hamburg holding a majority stake, and in return, MSC would build its German headquarters in Hamburg and increase cargo volume.
- CDU harbor expert Goetz Wiese called the plans a mistake, claiming that Hamburg cannot strategically rely on one company for the next 40 years and that MSC's entry could lead to cargo losses for other shipping lines.
- Norbert Hackbusch from the Linke argued that MSC could block HHLA investments in the future with its minority stake and called for a citizens' vote on the deal.
- AfD parliamentarian Krzysztof Walczak criticized the lack of transparency in the deal and warned that Hamburg was becoming a "junior partner" to MSC.
