After mid-2010, flooding will not be an option anymore at the Port of Vienna. As of then, a giant gate weighing several hundred tonnes will protect the Freudenau basin from overflowing. At that point, the Port of Vienna will not only be the largest logistics centre in the heart of Europe (with a revenue of 48 million EUR), but also the most modern and safest. This million-euro investment, which also includes improving the flood protection along the quay walls, is only one part of the master plan that is meant to maintain the Port of Vienna’s position as the region’s most important cargo handling terminal throughout the coming decade.

The Only Tri-Modal Logistics Centre

Rudolf Mutz, Director of the Port of Vienna: “The Port of Vienna is Austria’s only tri-modal logistics centre, where goods can be distributed using rail, water and road. We are looking to further boost these advantages through targeted expansion and reconstruction measures.” The next important development step is to directly connect the Port of Vienna to the motorway network. The construction of the Lobau Tunnel, which will run underneath the Port of Albern, also will include a connector to the Austrian motorway network. This way, access will be significantly easier for trucks, which transport as much as 50 percent of the goods handled at the Port of Vienna.

The Port of Vienna is looking to further expand its leading position as Central Europe’s largest container terminal. Even now, the port can offer over 7,000 container storage spaces on an area of 100,000 square metres, as well as being Austria’s most modern container terminal connecting water, rail and road. In the past year, 335,000 containers (TEU) were handled. After the end of the current economic crisis, experts expect that number to quickly rise to around 500,000 TEU. Mutz: “Containers can be loaded to individual trucks and distributed in the Vienna area without losing time through consolidation shipments using rail or ship.” In order not to lose valuable transport time, three container crane bridges ensure smooth operations. Mutz: “We also offer our customers daily block train connections to Europe’s most important seaports like Hamburg and Rotterdam.” The central focus of container traffic still is on the large European ports of the North Sea and the English Channel, although at the Port of Vienna, the continuous expansion of the Black Sea port of Constanza is also kept in mind. At the moment however, the majority of containers are still delivered by rail and above all by truck. Mutz: “This is also because the Danube was blocked for freight through-traffic for a long time, due to the conflicts in former Yugoslavia. It will certainly take some more time until the Danube achieves a freight volume comparable to the Rhine or the Main.” But since the North Sea ports are slowly starting to reach their capacity limits, the Black Sea as an additional gateway to the European market is becoming more and more important in international freight traffic. Mutz: “At the moment, only 20 percent of the freight is arriving by ship, so there is great potential for development.”

Austria’s Largest Car Handling Terminal

Just as important for the Port of Vienna as the modern container terminal is their car terminal. Thanks to the direct connection to the road and rail network as well as a high-capacity roll-on/roll-off ramp for direct loading from rail to ship, the Port of Vienna has developed into one of Austria’s largest car handling terminals with 60,000 vehicles per year. Therefore, investments into the car terminal will continue. Mutz: “As part of the port expansion, we want to significantly increase the number of covered parking spaces.” This will on the one hand eliminate the risk of soiling, for example through seabirds; on the other hand, the vehicles will be protected against the elements, unlike in many other auto logistics centres in Austria. Mutz: “Through these important building activities, we want to prevent things like the hail damage that occurred at many auto centres this year.”

The expansion of the Port of Vienna is made possible by the technological advancements in shipping traffic. Since cargo ships and barges don’t have to manoeuvre using tugboats anymore, but can also dock independently, the Port of Vienna will soon be able to operate using a much smaller basin than today. 70,000 square metres of additional space will therefore be available soon for rebuilding and expanding the port. The most important part of the project will be to reduce handling time within the car terminal. Mutz: “At the moment, the layout is not yet ideal; we will make the location even more attractive for car importers by shortening the handling channels.”

Port of Vienna as Urban Developer

The Port of Vienna is not only investing in its logistics centres, but is also playing a leading role in the urban development of the right banks of the Danube in Vienna. Just recently, the Vienna Marina, a private yacht marina with a restaurant and boathouse, was purchased. Mutz: “We want to link Vienna to the Danube for good.” The first steps towards implementation have already been made. The Catamaran Building on Handelskai road, in the immediate vicinity of the South-East connector motorway (Südost-Tangente), is one of Vienna’s most modern office buildings and will be turned over to its tenants within days. Right next to it, the U2 metro station is in the process of being completed. As of mid-2010, it will only be a short 15-minute ride from the city centre to the banks of the Danube. Around this metro station, residential and office buildings are currently being developed. Thanks to the future metro connection, the Marina is also set to be upgraded for additional visitors. Mutz: “We will certainly be very careful with regards to building activity, but there are many ways to create noise protection from the Handelskai road and to offer recreational facilities that include an unobstructed view of the Danube as part of their attraction.” [ CN ]