“It’s difficult to say goodbye to him”, said Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG.) adding that “Heinz Bachmann has decisively shaped the development of the Port of Kiel for three decades”. Highlights of his successful activity during that time have included the expansion of the Ostuferhafen into a hub for ferry traffic with Russia and the Baltic, the development of Kiel into the leading German turnaround port for cruise shipping and the concentration on Kiel of Stena Line’s west Sweden traffic. “Today, the biggest and most modern ferry and cruise ships call at Kiel. We have Heinz Bachmann to thank for that”, said Dirk Claus. One of the special moments in his career was perhaps the naming ceremony in 2007 for “Color Magic” at the Bollhörnkai in Kiel. More than 100,000 visitors experienced that event, which set a benchmark for sea tourism via Kiel.
Heinz Bachmann began his professional career in 1965 as a shipping company management assistant and shipping agent with Zerssen & Co. close to the Kiel-Holtenau lock on the Kiel Canal. Later he worked for forwarders Willy Bruhn & Sons in Kiel and for the shipping firm F.H.Bertling in Lübeck. In April 1978 he moved to the Port of Kiel to work for what was called at the time the Port and Transport Services Company in the Schleswig-Holstein state capital, which later became the SEEHAFEN KIEL. Because of his very personal and open manner he won great respect in port and shipping circles. He is just as well-liked by his business competitors as he is by colleagues and friends. “I had a great time”, says Heinz Bachmann, “and when you are enjoying it most, that’s the moment to stop”. Once Heinz Bachmann has parted company with his business colleagues and customers at the end of August, he plans to spend more time on his private activities.
Heinz Bachmann’s responsibilities at the SEEHAFEN Kiel are being spread among several people as of the start of September. The new head of the Marketing Department will be Heinz Bachmann’s deputy Knud Sörensen. The Cruise sector will be the responsibility of Nicole Heinisch while the entire operations sector will move into the hands of Port Operation Manager Jörg Demuth.
The SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co. KG operates Kiel’s commercial port on behalf of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital of Kiel, of which it is a 100% subsidiary. Kiel is one of the most versatile and economic ports in the Baltic. Its location on tide-free deep water and its direct links to rail and highway networks make it equally attractive for both cargo and passenger services. An additional advantage is Kiel’s location at the entrance to the Kiel Canal, the world’s busiest man-made waterway. During the summer season Kiel is an attractive destination for cruise ships and is northern Europe’s third largest cruise turnaround port. Last year more than 6 million tons of cargo were turned round for the first time while two million passengers either embarked or disembarked from ships in Kiel.