HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - Ahead of a Bundestag debate on Germany as a port location, the Port of Hamburg has urged the federal government to adopt a national strategy. It was time for the federal government to recognize the economic importance of the ports and act accordingly, Hafen Hamburg Marketing (HHM) demanded on Thursday. Politicians have noted, not least in light of the current crises, that ports are part of the critical infrastructure, it said. "Now it is also time for the federal government to recognize the economic importance of the ports and act accordingly." The Port of Hamburg alone secures 600,000 jobs nationwide, he said.

HHM board member Axel Mattern called for concrete measures. "This starts with the urgently needed maintenance of our waterways and ends not least with the modernization of our hinterland infrastructure." At the request of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, the Bundestag will discuss ways to improve the infrastructure of German ports on Friday./lik/DP/mis