Interview with Sebastian Jeurgens, a board member of HHLA

1) What is your role in HHLA?

As a member of the board I am responsible for the business segments intermodal transportation and logistics. The segment intermodal transportation comprises our four daughter companies, Transfracht, serving the routes between German seaports and the hinterland in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Metrans, operating between the German seaports and the markets in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Metrans also offers services from the port of Koper (Slovenia). Polzug Intermodal services the routes from Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Rotterdam to the Polish hinterland as well as to CIS destinations, especially the Caucasus and Central Asia. Last but not least, HHLA has their own trucking company for inner-port traffic and urgent deliveries throughout Germany. The HHLA Logistics segment offers a wide range of port services. The companies are focusing on special logistics (vehicles, fruit, bulk cargo), consultancy and contract logistics.

2) What business relations do you (HHLA) have with Korea, and especially, what Korean companies?

HHLA has for long been providing container terminal services in the Port of Hamburg for Hyundai Merchant Marine and Hanjin Shipping. Our business relations with Korean companies dates back to the times of Cho Yang and Korean Shipping company. Since Korean global players like LG, Samsung, Daewoo and Kia are among the most important foreign investors in Central Europe, our intermodal operators, especially Polzug, transport many containers by rail from Hamburg to the factories in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Doing so, they cooperate with Korean forwarders like Pantos, Hyundai Logistics and Hanjin Logistics. Key segments are automotive, consumer electronics and household goods. Our contract logistics company HHLA Logistics is providing warehousing and European distribution services for leading Korean producers of consumer electronics.

3) What is your purpose to visit Korea in October?

The purpose of our visit is to introduce our clients to new developments within the HHLA, our daughter companies and the Port of Hamburg. Of course, as member of the board, I also personally want to assure all Korean partners of HHLA and our intermodal and logistics affiliates that we will do our utmost to jointly bypass the current global economic crisis. We have seen the needs of our clients and have reacted accordingly. Moreover, as Mr. Schulze-Freyberg, the managing director of our daughter company Polzug Intermodal, has told me so much about Korean food, I wanted to come personally to taste the specialties of your country! <Korea Shipping Gazette>