Kiel now has a new architectural landmark. The 13-story terminal at Schwedenkai, two years in the building, was officially inaugurated at a ceremony on October 1st. Peter Harry Carstensen, the Minister President of the federal German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Torsten Albig, Lord Mayor of the state capital of Kiel, Dan Sten Olssen, CEO of Stena AB and Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG) jointly cut a ribbon at the entrance to the passenger level, officially opening the new terminal. “This is a great day for the Port of Kiel”, said Dirk Claus. “The new Schwedenkai underscores our position as one of the most popular passenger ports in Germany and as a first-class handling hub for breakbulk cargo”.

The 46 metre tall main terminal building, located directly on the Inner City waterfront, has reshaped the city’s landscape profile. Dirk Claus said “with the new Schwedenkai building we have added an architectural feature that is high-class and at the same time very functional”. Designed by architects KSP Jürgen Engel and constructed by the Schwedenkai working group, made up of the construction companies Heinrich Karstens and Friedrich Helbig, Schwedenkai is the Port of Kiel’s new landmark. At the heart of the new building, and on its lower levels, are efficient handling facilities for cargo and passengers. Above them, in the impression of a ship’s bow, is a modern office complex with a fantastic view over the harbour and the Kiel Fiord.

The ferry and cruise shipping terminal at Schwedenkai marks the beginning of a new era in Kiel’s inner city port. As the new terminal opens, Stena Line is introducing a much bigger generation of ships onto the Kiel-Gothenburg route. “Stena Germanica” is one of the longest ferry ships in the world and her arrival represents a quantum leap for the port. In the past, 40,000 unit loads have been handled every year, but now that cargo volume is expected to more than double. “The new Schwedenkai is one of the most efficient handling terminals in the Baltic for big RoPax ships”, said Dirk Claus. “We are proud that we are able to make this facility available to Stena Line.”

A good 30 million Euros has been invested in Schwedenkai, 18 million Euros of it in the terminal building and 12 million Euros in making the terminal’s logistics and infrastructure as efficient as possible.

The SEEHAFEN KIEL operates the city’s commercial port on behalf of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital of Kiel, of which it is a 100% subsidiary. More than 5 million tons of cargo are handled every year at its terminal facilities while two million passengers board or leave a ship. The new Schwedenkai has created 40 new jobs, ten of them at a SEEHAFEN KIEL subsidiary. The new terminal building houses the headquarters of the Port of Kiel administration and also that of Stena Line’s Germany administration.