Ever since Bremerhaven was founded in 1827, its ports have been a driving force for the regional economy.

On completion of the fourth construction phase at the end of 2008, the Container Terminal in Bremerhaven will be able to accommodate up to 15 large container ships simultaneously along a quay measuring just under five kilometres. The annual capacity will then exceed six million TEUs. The Container Terminal is already one of the 20 largest in the world, handling 4.5 million TEUs a year (2006) and growing at double-digit rates.

The terminals are operated by Eurogate - Europe's biggest container handling company and a joint venture between the Bremen-based BLG Logistics Group and Hamburg-based Eurokai - and North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven, a joint venture between Eurogate and the world's largest container shipping line, Maersk SeaLand. The third terminal operator is the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the second-largest container shipping line in the world.

More about the harbours in Bremerhaven and Bremen on "bremenports"-Website

Port Statistics (in german)

Bremerhaven is also one of Europe's leading ports in the field of car transhipment, handling around 1.9 million vehicles a year (2006). In addition to actual transhipment, a broad range of service enterprises has located in the area around the Car Terminal.

The refrigerated warehouses in the Overseas Harbour and the Fisheries Harbour are the lynchpin for a sophisticated system of logistics and other services. Large quantities of deep-frozen meat, fish and vegetables are stored, processed and handled each year in Bremerhaven.

The Columbus Cruise Center in Bremerhaven is the departure for around 70 cruises per season, and is the largest passenger terminal along the North Sea coast. Around 70,000 passengers a year embark here on cruises, mainly to the Norwegian fjords, around Great Britain and into the Baltic Sea.

Big-name food industry companies are domiciled in Bremerhaven's Fisheries Harbour. They include Frozen Fish International, Frosta AG (a producer of frozen foods), Deutsche See (fish manufacturing) and the head office of Nordsee, a systems catering company operating a nationwide chain of fish restaurants. There are numerous small and medium-sized enterprises specialised in fresh fish processing, seafood delicatessen and ambulant fish vending.

The locational advantages of the food industry in Bremerhaven certainly include its particular expertise in processing fresh and sensitive foods. The common aim is to improve production methods, develop new products and to enhance product quality. Research establishments with close links to business are playing an ever-greater role in this context.

Over the years, the Fisheries Harbour has developed into a multifunctional industrial estate. A few years ago, one of the most advanced production facilities was opened here by Nord Ceram, a well-known manufacturer of stoneware and ceramic tiles. Around 200 companies in total are now located in this 450-hectare industrial estate, providing employment for about 9,000 people.

For many decades, shipbuilding was the cornerstone of the Bremerhaven economy. Even today, the shipyards and their supplier firms play a key role for the city. Well positioned in niche markets, local shipyards such as Lloyd Werft, Motorenwerke Bremerhaven, Bremerhavener Dockbetriebe and SSW form the nucleus of a maritime network. This network includes specialist firms in the fields of electrical engineering, plant construction, mechanical engineering, surface treatment, interior design and metal processing, as well as engineering and design consultants.

The success of, and opportunities for maritime technologies in Bremerhaven stem from shipbuilding and port construction traditions spanning many decades, and from the growth of new disciplines in maritime science, and of young, technology-based enterprises. The latter are mainly concentrated in marine and climate research, marine biotechnology, offshore wind energy and marine aquaculture, for example.

Bremerhaven is enjoying an increasing level of interest on the part of outside visitors. The city concentrates on attracting tourists who like to visit different cities. Bremerhaven already has a wide variety of leisure and cultural facilities far beyond what similarly sized cities can offer. Two theatres, two large museums, the small but beautiful Art Museum run by the Art Society, the German Emigration Centre, the Zoo am Meer as well as baths for both fun and sport are just a few examples of the attractions, commensurate to those of a larger city, that are worth a visit not only when the weather is bad.

A rich mixture of tourist and leisure facilities is developing in the area around the New Harbour and the Old Harbour (where the Mayor of Bremen, Johann Smidt, founded 'Bremer Haven' back in 1827). The 'Climate House' is the creation of Petri & Tiemann, a Bremen company specialising in modern leisure centres. Among other facilities, P&T also operates the Universum Science Center in Bremen, which receives around 500,000 visitors a year.

For Bremerhaven, working together with tourist centres in the surrounding areas of Lower Saxony is an essential part of the regionalisation effort. Cuxland, which includes Cuxhaven, had more than six million overnight stays in 2002, for example. This means that Bremerhaven is located in the midst of a market with annual growth rates of 3 - 5% - potential from which Bremerhaven can benefit as a destination for a considerable volume of city tours. Conversely, it is increasingly evident that Cuxland, Cuxhaven and the Wesermarsch region, with Butjadingen at its key attraction, can also stand to gain from the various services offered by Bremerhaven.