The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) in Germany and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate across a range of port priorities including decarbonization, safety and cruise.
The MOU, signed November 7, 2024, will see the two port authorities increase cooperation across multiple key areas: maritime decarbonization; safety; digital practices and new technology; and cruise operations.
Work under the MOU will include assessing readiness to support alternative fuel bunkering, improving safety with new technology like drones, using predictive analytics to optimize operations, data governance and cyber security best practices, and opportunities for sustainable cruise port accreditation.
The two port authorities will also create new opportunities for employees to gain practical experience with the daily challenges and practices at the partner port.
Both ports are major gateways for their respective countries: The Port of Hamburg is not only the largest seaport in Germany and the third largest in Europe, but also Europe's largest rail port – even leading worldwide in many areas of hinterland connections by rail. At the same time, it is the largest industrial area in northern Europe. The port thus bears a great responsibility for both the people who work here and for the environment.
The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and North America’s most diversified port, helping Canada and Canadians thrive every day. Its 29 major terminals and more than 1,000 tenants move about $300 billion in trade every year across four sectors (auto, bulk, break-bulk, container), as well as support cruise operations.