Dutch and Belgian ports have a common interest: the smooth transit of freight via the river Rhine. German Ruhr area based trade and industry appreciate this out of economic self-interest. To them the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp are more important than the German ports of Hamburg and Bremen. Now that the German government’s 33.3% share in the inland Port of Duisburg has been put on the market, it is logical that Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp port authorities show a keen interest in purchasing the shares of the strategically located Duisburg. By Janny Kok, AJOT The best answer to a crisis is to join forces to weather the storm, but in the case of what is called the ARA ports (Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Antwerp) there is more to it than that. All Belgian and Dutch seaports focus is on good hinterland connections, which they find in going east, or more precisely southeast in the case of Antwerp and Rotterdam. For years it was an anathema to Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam to refer to the notion ‘cooperation of ports’, but today the respective port authorities are not afraid to stress the importance of joining forces rather than competing among each other. The reasons as to why are manifold. First and foremost comes the fact that ‘the Chinese’ regard the area as just the one conglomerate of ports - and rightfully so geographically. The EU competition watchdog, however, views port cooperation as being the first step down the slippery slope to anti-competition. But the ARA ports have an answer to the EU charge. Currently, Rotterdam and Amsterdam use just the one port community system for data the processing required by governmental institutions incoming and outgoing vessels, which is not against EU regulation. And the so-called Portbase system is planned to be rolled out for other national seaports in the near future, which might draw the wrath of the EU regulators. Additionally, the ARA ports have already shown another common interest in the form of the sale of one-third ownership of the German inland port of Duisburg. The German government is eager to play the selling game to EC (European Commission) rules. That is why it is negotiating with the EU over the necessary conditions for the sale 33.3% Duisburg Port shares. The sale is to the chagrin of the ports of Hamburg and Bremen, which would prefer keeping the Port wholly under Germany control. But the prospect of being paid €50 million to € 60 million for one-third of the port, is attractive and the sale is expected to start soon. Move and CountermoveIn an effort to protect interests in their hinterland at home, Hamburg and Bremen countermove is to prepare a bid on the Duisburg shares themselves. They have found terminal operators HHHLA and Eurogate, and Dortmunder Hafen at their side. The battle of West and North European seaports to acquire a stronghold in the German southwestern inland port contradicts the urge for cooperation of ports. Cologne and Dusseldorf based in the region have prepared a countermove of their own: that of a viable merger of the two inland ports. Experts were quick to comment that the two may well prepare for competing with Duisburg, but that the process could also end in involving Duisburg in the merger. They already suggested a new name for the three inland ports: NRW Hafen AG. The German association of inland ports Bundesverband Öffentlichter Binnenhäfen (BÖB) welcomes cooperation within Germany and beyond. BÖB president Rainer Schaefer spoke words to that effect at the General Assembly meeting of the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) the BÖB hosted in Berlin mid October. He was quoted saying that the cooperation of the two associations enabled the European inland ports to position themselves strongly as being essential in the supply chain. “Cargo transport and logistic services will become more and more European and international”, he said, adding that European inland ports should be connected with seaports in Europe. That could be done in the framework of the European TEN-