DNV GL has signed a letter of intent with the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) at SMM today. Claudia Flecken, Member of the HPA Executive Board, and Torsten Schramm, President of DNV GL – Maritime, agreed to join forces in boosting the sustainability of the existing HPA fleet and all new acquisitions.
“This letter of intent is another building block in our strategy of setting Hamburg’s harbour on a sustainable course,” says Jens Meier, Chairman of the HPA Executive Board. “We are delighted to know that DNV GL is working alongside us as a strong partner and independent advisor, supporting us every step of the way with their expertise,” Meier continues.
Frank Horch, Hamburg’s Senator for Economy, Transport, and Innovation, says: “Hamburg wants to contribute to reduce emissions in the harbour. An important milestone on this journey is centralizing the management of the municipal fleet under the roof of the HPA. This way we can make full use of all possibilities for reducing the emissions from the city’s own vessels. DNV GL has extensive technical expertise in this area. I am convinced that today’s agreement between DNV GL and the HPA will deliver valuable insights.”
“We are very pleased that DNV GL has been chosen to support the HPA in promoting low-emissions propulsion technologies. This sets the course for a modern, sustainable fleet,” says Torsten Schramm, President of DNV GL – Maritime.
In June this year, the Hamburg Senate decided that the HPA would take over Hamburg’s entire municipal fleet as of 1 July 2017 and integrate it into its existing fleet. The Senate’s decision was preceded by a resolution of the Hamburg Parliament in April 2016, which requested that the Senate modernizes the city’s fleet.
The HPA currently operates 31 vessels, including surface sounding vessels, pilot vessels and ice breakers. Fire-fighting vessels and harbour police vessels, as well as launches and bridge inspection vessels from the municipal fleet, will be added next year. After the transfer, the HPA will have a total of 49 vessels in its pool.