Ploß becomes maritime coordinator: strengthening for Hamburg's ports in sight!

Ploß becomes maritime coordinator: strengthening for Hamburg's ports in sight!

Christoph Ploß from the CDU will be the federal government's new coordinator for the maritime economy and tourism. The official appointment by the Federal Cabinet took place on May 28, 2025, after Ploß succeeded his predecessor Dieter Janecek from the Greens. When appointing her, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche highlighted Ploß's extensive network in the maritime industry and emphasized the need for a strong maritime economy in Germany.

Ploß has been active in the Bundestag since 2017 and has served on the Transport and European Committee since 2018. In addition to him, MPs Franziska Hoppermann and Christoph de Vries will also be more closely involved in Berlin. The new Bundestag composition for Hamburg includes a total of 13 members, which is three fewer than before, with the SPD, Greens and CDU each having three members and the AfD and the Left two each.

Focus on port policy and infrastructure

Ploß sees port policy as a national task and particularly emphasizes its importance for energy supply. In this context, he advocates greater financial support for seaports from the federal government. Currently, coastal countries are almost exclusively responsible for maritime infrastructure. As part of the port load equalization, the federal government only pays around 40 million euros per year to five northern German coastal states.

The port locations, especially in Hamburg, have become less important in recent years, which Ploß considers problematic. He calls on the federal government to strengthen the ports' hinterland connections in order to avoid competitive disadvantages. The demand for the construction of the new Köhlbrand Bridge in the 2030s and acceleration of important infrastructure projects such as the A26 East, A20 and A39 are also on his agenda. In addition, an efficient rail connection between Hamburg and Hanover is necessary.

Strategies to strengthen the maritime economy

The planned development of a national port strategy is intended to underline the importance of seaports, but so far without far-reaching financial commitments. Particularly noteworthy is Ploß' proposal to promote the shipping and shipping industry through an internationally competitive tonnage tax. Further measures to relieve the burden on the tourism industry through fewer requirements as well as the expansion of rail and air traffic to strengthen Germany as a travel destination are also planned.

In summary, it can be said that with Ploß at the head of maritime coordination, new impulses should be provided for greater support for the German port industry and its infrastructure investments. Ploß has already criticized the seaports' high level of dependence on coastal states and warned of the competitive disadvantages that could arise from merely symbolic federal funding. A national action plan for silt removal and effective sediment management is also called for.

In order to provide comprehensive support for seaports, it is crucial that the new federal government recognizes the maritime economy as a national task and provides the necessary financial resources. This is of utmost importance not only for the economy, but also for the country's energy supply, said Ploß.

For more information read the reports from NDR and Logistics today.