Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences and the Port Authority sign cooperation agreement

Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences and the Port Authority of the Hanseatic City of Bremen intend to collaborate even more closely in future in the areas of port security and health and safety at work. To this end, Rector Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Alexis Papathanassis and Harbour Master Stephan Berger signed a cooperation agreement in the presence of Captain Sebastian Trudwig, Head of Port Security, and Prof. Dr-Ing. Uwe Arens, Professor of Logistics Safety. The aim is to develop joint research projects, internship opportunities for students and topics for final-year dissertations.

The university and the Port Authority have been working together for some time now. This collaboration has recently given rise to the research project ‘Risk Assessment for the Bunkering of Ammonia in Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven’ (RisBA), which aims to develop preventive safety concepts for ports in collaboration with the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation. This is important in relation to alternative fuels, which include ammonia, as Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Arens explains: “New technologies require an impact assessment. Risk assessment not only fulfils this role but also forms the basis for an effective action plan. This includes contingency planning. The project thus contributes to the safety of staff and the public in our region.”

Opportunities for collaboration between the Port Authority and the university arise not only in research but also in teaching. Safety in logistics is part of the curriculum for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Transport, Economics and Logistics, as well as the Master’s degree programmes in Logistics Engineering and Management and Integrated Safety and Security Management. “We train specialists in this field. For them, the collaboration opens up opportunities for work placements and topics for final-year dissertations. Furthermore, current challenges are incorporated into the course modules,” explains Prof. Arens. 

“The demands placed on ports are changing rapidly. That is why it is important for us to stay closely connected to research and innovation. The collaboration with Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences gives us the opportunity to take up the latest scientific findings at an early stage, develop joint projects and inspire students to pursue careers in maritime fields. At the same time, this generates practical results that can be directly incorporated into the work of the Port Authority. This benefits the University of Applied Sciences, the Port Authority and, ultimately, the ports of Bremen in equal measure,” emphasises Harbour Master Stephan Berger.

The signing of the agreement is intended to formally consolidate and further expand the collaboration.