Project cargo requires space, transshipment expertise and someone to take charge. Ems Ports Agency and Stevedoring Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG (epas) in Emden and Dörpener Umschlaggesellschaft für den kombinierten Verkehr (DUK) in Dörpen demonstrate how a seaport and an inland port, along with an inland facility, can work hand in hand to the benefit of customers and service providers alike.
Credits: EPAS
Both bring experience in different areas of logistics to the project. epas, a provider of port and logistics services, has operated on 20-hectare premises at the north and south quays in Emden since 1993, with a focus on vessel clearance as well as project and heavy goods logistics. DUK has been managing an intermodal transport facility with container transshipment and warehousing in Dörpen since 1989.
This initial introduction soon led to concrete plans. “We were already in talks with a customer who was interested in warehousing hundreds of cable drums for underground cable installation with us but we didn’t have enough space for that in Emden,” recalls Siebahn. And that is how the idea came about of partnering with DUK on projects that would have been too big for epas alone – with access to a 20,000-square-metre warehouse in Dörpen.
“For us as a port company, goods need to be handled quickly,” emphasises Siebahn. “Vessel clearance is our bread and butter.” The collaboration benefits both. “We wanted the business, of course. As their main business operations had fallen to some degree, DUK had the space required – a perfect synergy,” explains the managing director of epas. “This means our partner can grow with us.”
“The partnership demonstrates how a seaport and an inland facility can work hand in hand,” says Nintemann. “epas brings valuable strength in project logistics and vessel clearance, which we complement with additional space and operational capacity in the hinterland.” Together, they have been able to implement larger and long-term projects.
First joint project
For the partnership, the two companies signed a cooperation agreement, which was soon followed by a contract for the first joint project. From 2027 to 2029, a total of 800 cable drums with a combined weight of 60 to 80 tonnes will be warehoused in Dörpen, which serves as a hub for epas. “The benefit for us is that we don’t have to start from scratch, but can use an existing infrastructure,” Siebahn explains. A key component of it is inland transshipment, a process made all the more efficient and dramatically simplified by reach stackers specially developed for DUK. Furthermore, the two partners have the necessary experience with larger projects.
“This development demonstrates what extraordinary collaboration between sea and inland ports can look like,” adds Nintemann. “The success of the project depends on us being able to build on existing infrastructure and proven project expertise.” The available space, technical equipment and processes are already designed for heavy and bulky goods and will be able to accommodate the planned volumes from the start of the project. “This experience in the setup is a key benefit of the partnership,” says Nintemann.
Facts
Ems Ports Agency and Stevedoring Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG (epas)
Established: 1994
Headquarters: Emden
Area of business: Hafen- und Port and logistics services, including shipping agency services, terminal operations, stevedoring, warehousing, project and heavy goods logistics, freight booking and chartering, offshore services, customs clearance and the handling of dangerous goods.
Area: 200,000 square metres
Clearance: More than 700 ships a year
Employees: Over 100
Transshipment sales in 2024: Approx. 15 million euros
These services target customers with projects in nearby Dörpen and projects with good accessibility through inland ports – for example, in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Emden seaport can also be taken into account. According to Siebahn, two to three round trips a week are planned for the approximately 90-kilometre route between Emden and Dörpen, adding that there is no need for customers to worry about higher costs resulting from double transshipment. “Our prices are in line with the market when you consider total transport costs,” explains the epas managing director.
Complementary areas of expertise
Siebahn considers the key strength of the partnership in the fact that DUK itself specialises in transshipment and has the necessary expertise. Focussing on a seaport has other reasons. “We have project experience with large corporations and are certified according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001 – and in line with the Safety Culture Ladder, which evaluates a company’s culture of safety,” emphasises Siebahn. This includes the epas tender management team drawing on many years of experience in handling larger tenders.
“Working on projects like that with regional partners that couldn’t do it on their own is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” says Siebahn. It also provides opportunities to learn from one another. “But overall responsibility lies with us – as the partner to and single point of contact for customers,” he is quick to point out. A successful logistics concept like this requires close coordination, clear interfaces and defined internal and external contacts. “Good communication within the network is a must,” says the managing director. “When it works, it offers plenty of opportunities with limited risk.” (cb)
Facts
Dörpener Umschlaggesellschaft für den kombinierten Verkehr (DUK)
Established: 1989
Headquarters: Dörpen
Area of business: Intermodal transport, container transshipment and warehousing, container services, buying and selling containers, port transshipment, freight forwarding and customs clearance
Employees: 30
Turnover in 2024: Approx. four million euros
