2023-12-05 11:27:31
MSC wants to buy just under 50% of the company which operates three of the four cargo terminals at the port of Hamburg. But the Swiss shipowner’s offer faces fierce resistance from employees.
The port of Hamburg, third in Europe following Rotterdam and Antwerp, is the pride of the city, which owes its prosperity to it. But for several years it has also been a source of concern in the economic capital of northern Germany. Henning Vöpel, economist specializing in the sector, takes stock of the situation in La Matinale on Tuesday.
“It is not a deep water port, but a port located on a river, where we are dependent on the tide. It is therefore very expensive, due to the natural conditions and the level of salaries are high in Hamburg. On the other hand, the connections to the hinterland are quite good. The rail connections are also good,” he describes. In summary, Hamburg finds itself in “a mixed situation”, according to Henning Vöpel.
Private investments
Hamburg has long been looking for a shareholder to revive its flagging port. MSC, the world number one in maritime transport, is offering 222 million francs for 49.9% of the share capital of the company HHLA, which manages three of the four terminals. The potential investor promises to bring an additional million containers to Hamburg and undertakes to safeguard employment for five years. The city, which currently owns approximately 70% of HHLA, would retain the majority of the capital (50.1%).
“Hamburg’s politicians want to attract the largest shipowner in the world to bring goods to the city. They also want to attract capital from private investors,” analyzes Henning Vöpel. “But what motivates MSC? It’s not very clear. It may be regarding marginalizing certain competitors, for example Hapag-Lloyd [dont le siège se trouve à Hambourg, ndlr]”, he says.
An offer that is not unanimous
However, this offer does not convince the employees, who have organized several demonstrations in the city. “Hamburg’s silverware is being sold off, for a price that is much too low,” says one of them at the RTS microphone.
More than 8 million containers pass through the port of Hamburg each year, pictured here in 2020. [DPA/Axel Heimken – Keystone]
“We have a job guarantee for five years. In our opinion, that is far too little,” said another employee. “MSC produces nothing. MSC can only deliver what others want to transport by ship. They cannot guarantee that they will deliver a million more containers to Hamburg,” insists a third worker.
The employees, summarizes Sandra Goldschmidt of the Verdi union, simply feel betrayed: “The anger is mainly directed once morest the Senate of Hamburg, because the port has always until now been property of the State”, notes- She. “The port belongs to the city, to the residents. It is, so to speak, the heart of the city and of our entire economy,” she adds.
Debate on port management
The discontent is also explained by doubts regarding the governance of the company, continues Sandra Goldschmidt: “MSC is a non-transparent company, which does not publish its results and which has patriarchal management, with various rumors regarding how this company has grown up. And, so far, it has not stood out, from our point of view, for good working conditions. We are worried regarding what awaits us with this partner”, declares the trade unionist.
Questioned on this subject, the company MSC assured in writing that neither the collective agreement, nor employment, nor co-management within HHLA are threatened. The shipowner also promises an investment plan of 434 million francs to strengthen the port of Hamburg in the face of competition.
Radio subject: Nathalie Versieux
Adaptation web: Antoine Michel
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