Port of Aalborg signs international collaboration agreement with Canadian port

International relations are a strategic focus area for Port of Aalborg, particularly in these weeks. In June, Morocco’s and Norway’s ambassadors to Denmark paid a visit to Port of Aalborg. Now, Denmark’s largest inland port has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Canadian inland port Port of Saguenay.

The new agreement marks the beginning of close cooperation that will support and develop both ports’ business areas within the green transition.

– Our international network is essential. Therefore, we are incredibly pleased with the collaboration agreement with Port of Saguenay, which we believe can lead to several exciting projects in the future. With the new deal, we can now exchange experiences with a like-minded port whose business model is very similar to ours, says Jesper Raakjær, Group Chief Visionary Officer at Port of Aalborg.

The collaboration agreement with Port of Saguenay came about when the Canadian port launched an initiative to uncover how similar ports work with the green transition. In that process, the focus quickly turned toward Denmark and Aalborg.

– Port of Aalborg is recognised in the industry as a leader in the responsible and sustainable development of maritime and industrial port activities, thanks to close cooperation with Aalborg University. We are pleased to initiate a collaboration, which is the first of its kind for us and will help us strengthen the development of our industrial port area, says Carl Laberge, President and CEO at Port of Saguenay.

Share common visions

Despite several thousand kilometres between them, Port of Aalborg and Port of Saguenay share several common characteristics. Both ports are inland ports that house two growing industrial port areas with intermodal logistics solutions while also operating business parks with the green transition, stakeholder involvement and strong industrial symbioses as focus areas.

After several months of dialogue, Port of Aalborg did not doubt that a collaboration would positively support the ongoing development at both ports:

– Through good dialogue, we have gained great insight into each other’s workflows and visions. This has strengthened our belief that both parties will benefit from a collaboration with which we can utilise our knowledge of various business processes and best practices concerning the development of green solutions, argues Jesper Raakjær.

In the long run, the collaboration agreement can give rise to joint development projects with the help of external funds.

– It is important that the agreement not just remains a piece of paper but turns into actual cooperation, which both parties commit to. Over time, we hope this will result in major development projects across our organisations, while other players might also participate. Therefore, we are very much looking forward to the collaboration, says Jesper Raakjær.

The new collaboration agreement was signed at an official visit to Saguenay on June 13, where representatives from both ports were present. Both parties expect to arrange a new visit to Aalborg in the near future.

For more information, please contact:

• Jesper Raakjær, Group Chief Visionary Officer, Port of Aalborg A/S, tel. +45 29 20 72 02 and jr@portofaalborg.com
• Press Service: Maja Thordahl Schou, Head of Branding & PR, Port of Aalborg A/S, tel. +45 22 61 83 08 and mts@portofaalborg.com

About Port of Saguenay

The Saguenay Port authotiry (SPA), also known as the “Port of Saguenay”, is an autonomous federal public enterprise incorporated under the Canada Marine Act in 1999. It is one of the 17 Canadian Port Authorities (CPAs), recongnized for its strategic importance and its contribution to the country’s economy.

Located in the heart of Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean industrial region, the Port of Saguenay is a natural gateway to Northern quebec and its extensive natural resources. Accessible all year round, its deep water marine facilities are capable of accomodating some of the world’s largest ships. Accessible directly from major North American rail and highway networks, the Port is also renowned for the quality and availability of its infrastructure.