Alexander Voigt sees real estate as a strategic tool for shaping the customer structure
By Jasper Rothfels
Storage space and offices available for rent: Anyone visiting the website of Häfen Rheinland-Pfalz GmbH might assume that the operating company of the Port of Ludwigshafen is looking to give up valuable sites. Managing Director Alexander Voigt strongly rejects this assumption. “The opposite is true,” says the 52-year-old. “We need more space.” Most of the properties being advertised are “peripheral uses without access to waterways or rail connections,” which remain in the portfolio largely for historical reasons. By contrast, there is a clear demand for areas that enable port-related activities involving the transport of goods by water and rail. “We are therefore working on mobilizing additional space,” Voigt explains.
The Cologne-born manager took over as Managing Director of the state-owned Häfen Rheinland-Pfalz GmbH in July 2024, succeeding Franz Josef Reindl. In this role, he is responsible for the sites in Ludwigshafen, Wörth and Lahnstein.
A Port Professional Through and Through
Voigt considers himself a true “port professional.” The lawyer was particularly shaped by his time at RheinCargo & Co. KG and Neuss-Düsseldorfer Häfen GmbH & Co. KG. At the same time, he was also responsible for real estate management. “Real estate is a key management tool in ports — not only because of its contribution to results, but also when it comes to shaping the customer structure,” the expert explains. The focus is on attracting companies from the logistics sector that handle bulk goods via inland waterways and rail, as well as industrial companies that transport their raw materials. “As Häfen Rheinland-Pfalz is also heavily real estate-based in terms of its business model, I quickly felt at home here as well,” says Voigt.
His largest port is Ludwigshafen, home to the chemical giant BASF. While the Port of Mannheim on the opposite side of the river recorded an 8.01% decline in waterborne cargo handling in 2024 compared to the previous year, the Port of Ludwigshafen achieved growth of 8.65%, reaching 5.47 million tons – supported by increases in crude oil, mineral oil and chemical products.
In container handling, tonnage decreased by 2.27% to 735,269 tons (Mannheim: -3.09%), according to port reports. Both ports share a major challenge: the Rhine bridges connecting the two cities are in poor condition. Since early December, heavy goods vehicles have only been allowed to cross at 30 km/h and at intervals of 50 meters. Another “cause for concern” is the Hochstraße Nord in Ludwigshafen, which connects to one of the Rhine bridges. Its counterpart, Hochstraße Süd, has already been partially demolished due to the risk of collapse and is currently being rebuilt. Once completed, Hochstraße Nord will follow.
Voigt views the bridge situation in Ludwigshafen with great concern. “I urge the responsible road authorities to address this issue with urgency and ensure the bridges remain operational,” he states. “The situation is detrimental to the port economy and ultimately has a negative impact on the economic performance of the entire region and its population.” Although alternative routes exist, such as the A6 motorway in the north, they involve significant detours. “These result in additional ton-kilometers, higher costs and increased emissions over the course of the year,” he criticizes.
Rethinking the Business Model
Voigt expects positive momentum for ports and the inland waterway system in general from the expansion of emissions trading to the transport sector starting in 2027. “This will significantly increase the importance of ports in achieving climate protection targets, despite current volume declines due to economic conditions,” he says. Ports enable the transport of goods by ship and rail, which generates significantly fewer emissions compared to road transport. “However, due to declining volumes, for example, in fossil fuels and iron ore, ports must reconsider which business models will be needed at their locations in the future,” Voigt adds.
He observes growing demand, particularly in the field of circular economy, for locations with waterway access for example, from companies dealing with recyclable plastics and construction materials. This is an area where ports could gain increasing importance. Some business models, however, require specific site conditions. This applies, for example, to the handling of ammonia as a transport medium for hydrogen and its conversion into hydrogen.
As hazardous goods are involved, strict legal requirements must be observed in handling operations. In competition with municipalities for land, it is therefore crucial to reserve areas capable of meeting these requirements. Voigt sees potential for expansion in Ludwigshafen, but especially in Wörth, where Mercedes-Benz Trucks operates its largest truck assembly plant.
Focus on Sustainability
In addition to developing new land, Voigt has further plans: the installation of charging infrastructure for electric trucks, the establishment of a “House of Urban History” in cooperation with the City of Ludwigshafen, and the expansion of sustainability management to achieve a CO₂-neutral port operation.
Voigt, who appears to feel very much at home in Ludwigshafen, is also drawn to the water in his private life: he enjoys jogging along the Rhine and spends his holidays boating on the river towards the Netherlands.
