By Markus Hesse, University of Luxembourg
Abstract:
The subject of this paper is a critical reconstruction of the development path of the port city/region of Hamburg, Germany, over the past three decades. The reasons for this critical review are the changing patterns of globalisation at the beginning of the 2020s, which are shifting from a favourable to a limiting framework for the city’s maritime development. This puts enormous pressure on the political system to adapt. The main argument of the paper is that, on the one hand, the maritime network is becoming increasingly fragmented if not dissolved, and, on the other hand, local governance is very much tied to internal power logics, thus perpetuating the old development frameworks.
My perspective on this constellation is an evolutionary one, exploring the medium-term evolution of trajectories in logistics, the maritime economy, and the global division of labour. These trajectories put the idea of a regional maritime cluster in question. The empirical basis of the paper is the reconstruction of path evolution, change and disruption 1993-2023, based on secondary statistical data, comparative studies and policy analysis. While the challenges facing the region are obvious, it seems more ambitious to identify the cornerstones of a robust future. Would the ‘knowledge city’ recipe seen in cities such as Boston, MA or Rotterdam, NL (both discussed here) be appropriate? Is energy transition (e.g. hydrogen) the game changer? Should more port land be released for alternative uses, making the estuarine city port a model of the past?
A key question may be whether and to what extent the highly introverted governance, which makes me think of Hamburg as a ‘reluctant metropolis’, will open up to new strategies, and to what extent these will ultimately be port-city related.
Keywords: maritime cluster evolution; port-city relations; urban governance; Hamburg, Germany
References:
Acciaro, M., Renken, K., & Dirzka, C. (2020). Integrated port cities: The case of Hamburg. In: European Port Cities in Transition: Moving Towards More Sustainable Sea Transport Hubs, 287-301.
Hesse, M. (2018). Focal firms, grand coalitions or global city makers? Globalization vs. new localism in Hamburg's maritime network. In Holyer/Parnreiter/Watson (eds.): Global City Makers: Economic Actors and Practices in the World City Network, 151-169.
Merk, O. (ed.) (2013). The Competitiveness of Global Port-Cities: Synthesis Report. Paris: OECD.
Storper, M. (2014). Governing the large metropolis. Territory, Politics, Governance, 2(2), 115-134.
Yang, D., Li, C., Li, L., Lai, K. H., & Lun, V. Y. (2022). Maritime cluster relatedness and policy implications. Transport Policy, 128, 76-88.