31 October, 2016

Thirteen new logistics ambassadors for Bremen and Bremerhaven

31 October 2016

“It’s a love story of an unconventional kind.” That’s how logistics ambassador Bushra Kamran describes her ties to Bremen in her acceptance speech at the award ceremonies for the fourth year of VIA BREMEN Logistics Ambassadors. On the evening of October 27, 2016 at Jacobs University, thirteen students from Jacobs University in Bremen and the University of Bremen proudly accepted the certificates signed by Economics and Harbor Senator Martin Günthner. With great passion and logistical expertise, the logistics students from eight different countries are committed to carrying word of the advantages and competencies of the logistics location Bremen/Bremerhaven out into the world.

Logistics behind the scenes The soon-to-be logistics ambassadors for Bremen come from China, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Iran, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Bulgaria and have garnered their insider knowledge on various excursions into the world of logistics in Bremen. The program, which was conceived by the marketing association VIA BREMEN, included not only the classic tour of the city but also a look behind the scenes of numerous logistics operations. This included visits to the packaging logistics company PTS Logistics, Roland Umschlag, CHS Container Handel, Friedrich Tiemann, and Weserport. At BLG Logistics, the young logisticians got to know the impressive Tchibo high bay storage facility at GVZ Bremen’s freight distribution center as well as the spacious container and automobile terminal and AutoTec Center in Bremerhaven. At a visit to the Fraunhofer IWES Institute, they learned about the logistics challenges of constructing an offshore wind park by viewing a large-scale rotor blade test bench. Once again the highlights included a chance to try out one of the forklifts at the maritime competence center as well as an early bird visit to the Bremen airport. Ambassadors by conviction “It was an extraordinarily exciting, informative, educational, and yet entertaining experience and will always hold a special place in our hearts.” That is how the Pakistani Bushra Kamran summarises the year, which wound up with individual interviews and a presentation on the topic of heavy-load logistics. “I feel that it is extremely important to let the world know about the high-performance port and logistics location Bremen. As an ambassador, I want to live up to this responsibility at every opportunity”. That was exactly the purpose of Klaus Platz, the initiator of the program, in training international logistics ambassadors: “Bremen must speak more self-confidently and resolutely about its broad range and many specialized logistics services. To do that, we need multiplicators who know, appreciate, and have come to love the location”. Profitable cooperation Professor Arvid Kappas, Dean of Jacobs University, is also a convinced supporter of the logistics ambassadors: “We are very pleased that the fourth generation of ambassadors have now received their certificates. Digitalization and globalization offer many opportunities for logistics, but also challenges. That makes it all the more important for young people to experience the breadth and variety of logistics through practical examples during their course of study. The program of VIA BREMEN makes a decisive contribution to achieving this goal.” For the first time, students from the University of Bremen were also on hand for the presentation of the certificates. “The logistics ambassadors constitute an ideal addition to our interdisciplinary education in the research association LogDynamics at the University of Bremen. They also represent the good collaboration between business and academics in the State of Bremen, an essential locational advantage, which is gaining importance, especially at the international level:” high praise for the program from Professor Hans-Dietrich Haasis. Following City Hall, the airport, and the Chamber of Commerce, the award ceremonies and afterparty were held this time on the campus of Jacobs University. A welcome opportunity to enrich further the interchange between the universities that have already selected new students for the new class of ambassadors. About the VIA BREMEN Foundation The VIA BREMEN Foundation is a marketing association representing the port and logistics location of the State of Bremen, with the stated goal of promoting national and international marketing for Bremen as well as networking between business and academics. About Jacobs University Jacobs University is a private, independent, English-language university in Bremen. Young people from all over the world study here in preparatory, Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs. Internationality and transdisciplinarity are special features of Jacobs University: research and teaching don’t just pursue a single approach, they address issues from the perspectives of multiple disciplines. This principle makes Jacobs graduates highly sought-after new talents who successfully strike out on international career paths. About LogDynamics – the research association for logistics at the University of Bremen The Bremen Research Cluster for Dynamics in Logistics (LogDynamics) stands for interdisciplinary research on logistics topics and for a structured international doctoral program at the University of Bremen. LogDynamics, is a cooperative enterprise of the departments of Physics/Electrotechnology, Mathematics/Information Science, Production Technology, and Economics with the institutes BIBA (Bremer Institute for Production and Logistics) and ISL (Institute for Seafaring Transport and Logistics), as well as Jacobs University in Bremen. Contact: VIA BREMEN FoundationGünther Hörbst / GeschäftsführerMartinistraße 5028195 BremenPhone: 0421 53 50 97-0guenther.hoerbst [at] via-bremen.com