Growth for Rostock: Port development secures 6,000 jobs!

Growth for Rostock: Port development secures 6,000 jobs!

On September 30, 2025, an information event took place on the passenger ship “Rostocker 7”, which was hosted by the President of the Citizenship, Dr. Heinrich Prophet and the initiative“Rostock as a port of the future”was organized. This initiative brings together five partners: the Hanseatic and university city of Rostock, the Rostock Regional Planning Association, the Rostock Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Rostock Business and ROSTOCK PORT. 20 members and knowledgeable residents from all civic groups took part in the event, which shows how important the issue of port development is in the city. The deputy mayor Jutta Reinders opened the event with a welcoming speech.

In the subsequent statements, the central concerns of the initiative on the provision of space for the planned port expansion and the associated challenges. The speakers pointed out how necessary additional areas are for the economic development of the Hanseatic city and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Space requirements and challenges

The discussion about the space requirements in the Rostock overseas port was very well received by the participants. Jens Scharner, Managing Director of ROSTOCK PORT GmbH, emphasized the high demand for port space. According to estimates, the development of the Rostock seaport requires:375 hectaresof new space is necessary to meet the requirements of port-related companies. The President of the Rostock Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Klaus-Jürgen Strupp, praised the decision to expand the port by 350 hectares as an important step forward.

These measures fit into the major plans of the regional planning association, which submitted a revised draft of the regional plan to the participation process on September 23, 2025. Michael Fengler, the head of the office, expressed optimism about the compromises reached for space provision.

Sustainability in focus

Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger made it clear that both nature conservation and the interests of local residents must be taken into account in the new land use plans. This is particularly important because the port of Rostock not only forms an important hub for global goods traffic, but also secures around 6,000 jobs, as port captain Falk Zachau noted. The topic of sustainability is not neglected here: the managing director of ROSTOCK PORT emphasized the climate-neutral transformation of the port as a central concern.

Port development planning is viewed as a strategic instrument that is oriented towards future needs not only based on traffic forecasts, but also through the analysis of ship dimensions. The planning process is lengthy and often extends over 10 to 25 years, which illustrates the complex situation of port management Research information system explained.

In summary, it can be said that the “Rostock Port of the Future” initiative and the associated plans represent an important basis for the future development and positioning of the port of Rostock. Cooperation between the different partners and the involvement of citizens will be crucial to balance both economic and environmental objectives.

Further information on port development can be found directly on the city website.