Open Baltic Sea, resilient corridors, strong hinterland connections: ports are placing security at the centre.
20 Apr 2026 15:53 Economy
At the German-Latvian Port Forum in Lübeck, representatives from ports, industry, and politics highlighted security in the Baltic Sea as a key prerequisite for stable supply chains, resilient hinterland connections, and Europe’s strategic capacity to act. The focus was on open sea routes, the protection of critical infrastructure, and the further development of resilient corridors in the Baltic Sea region.
For those involved, security in the Baltic Sea has become a central issue for ports, supply chains, and Europe’s overall resilience. This assessment shaped the German-Latvian Port Forum in Lübeck, which brought together around 100 participants. Representatives from Germany and Latvia made clear that open sea routes, robust port structures, and reliable hinterland connections are more closely interconnected today than ever before.
Dr Andreas Fahrner, Head of Intelligence Analysis at the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), described the security situation in clear terms. “The Baltic Sea and its ports must remain open,” he said, while also warning: “We can see how easily maritime routes can be closed, for example in the Strait of Hormuz. That must not be repeated in the Baltic Sea.” He also pointed to the continuing high number of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, hybrid threats, and the resulting need for geopolitical resilience.
Prof. Dr Sebastian Jürgens, Managing Director of Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG), built on this point: “For us, the Latvian-German Port Day is particularly important because it allows us to further develop our long-standing partnerships. This time we focused on the joint development of resilient corridors.” He also emphasised the shared strategic direction: “We are developing our corridors not only for shippers, but also for the defence industry and the energy sector.”
Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga Authority and Chair of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), underlined the importance of close cooperation in the Baltic Sea region: “No matter how large a port is, what matters increasingly is how well connected and how reliable it is in the long term.” Cooperation with other ports and customers is essential: “Ports should think less in terms of competition and more in terms of jointly securing supply and logistics chains.”
Claus Ruhe Madsen, Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism, and Lübeck’s Mayor Jan Lindenau emphasised that ports are now far more than transshipment hubs: “As part of critical infrastructure, they must remain operational even under pressure. This requires robust rail and road connections as well as close cooperation with shipping companies, customers, terminal operators, and authorities,” Lindenau said. The conclusion: resilience does not end at the quayside.
Axel Mattern, Board Member of Port of Hamburg Marketing, drew a clear political conclusion: “In the end, resilience is above all a question of funding. We must invest in infrastructure and in our ports.” Given the growing demands on hinterland connections and the strategic importance of ports, he called for greater attention and support from the federal government for port locations and their European context.
The German-Latvian Port Forum thus sent a clear signal: anyone seeking to strengthen security of supply, resilient supply chains, and Europe’s strategic capacity must keep the Baltic Sea open, strengthen ports, and invest in infrastructure, hinterland connections, and cooperation.