November 2, 2017

LN Online reports that the port of Rostock has filed a complaint with the European Commission regarding the decision of the city of Lübeck to waive the lease of LHG, Lübeck’s port authority company. Rostock sees it as a distortion of competition.
SPD mayor Bernd Saxe says that accountancy and law firms did the necessary research, and came to the conclusion there was no illegal aid.
LN Online sees another reason behind the complaint: LHG wants to invest in the move of a Swedish paper customer from the Nordlandkai (Lübeck) to the Skandinavienkai (Travemünde). Port of Lübeck needs the renouncement of the lease as part of a rescue plan. Without rescue the port cannot invest in the terminal, and that might cause the customer to shift from Lübeck to Rostock.
Two years ago Lübeck already lost UPM to Rostock.