The ninth former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, visited the Port of Duisburg. Köhler learned about the further development of the structural change and the duisport projects. The latest industry trends in logistics at the startup accelerator startport were also part of the visit.

duisports CEO Erich Staake received Horst Köhler in the presence of his fellow board members Professor Thomas Schlipköther and Markus Bangen. The first stop on the tour was logport I, where Staake began by talking about the unique success story in Duisburg-Rheinhausen: from industrial wasteland to one of the leading logistics locations in Europe. A booming logistics area has been created on the former site of the Krupp steelworks in Rheinhausen. Today, around 50 companies employ over 5,000 people on the 265-hectare site. In total, the Port of Duisburg directly or indirectly employs over 47,000 people, making it one of the most important employers in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

The second stop on the port visit was the duisport subsidiary startport in the Werhahnmühle in Duisburg's inner harbor. Since its launch two years ago, startport has developed into a platform for innovative ideas with international appeal for the logistics industry. Köhler visited the Port of Duisburg for the first time back in 2006 as part of an invitation to Duisburg from the Employment Agency. In 2009, the Diplomatic Corps of the Federal Republic of Germany was a guest in Duisburg. During this visit, Horst Köhler was also on site and informed himself about Duisburg as a logistics location during a joint boat tour with the then Lord Mayor Adolf Sauerland and duisport CEO Erich Staake.

"We are delighted that we were able to welcome former German President Horst Köhler personally to the Port of Duisburg for the third time. His renewed visit and his interest in the progress of the logport concept are a sign of appreciation for Duisburg and the entire Rhine-Ruhr region," explains Erich Staake.