“Anchors away for fibre optic expansion in bayernhafen Aschaffenburg”

Aschaffenburg, 22 October 2021 – For over 100 years, bayernhafen Aschaffenburg has unified the physical infrastructure of waterway, rail and road to connect the regional economy to the world. The port is also a digital infrastructure hub because, as the fourth infrastructure, the ‘information superhighway’ has long been of great importance to logistics hubs and inland ports. Data networking at bayernhafen Aschaffenburg is now to receive another significant boost through the expansion of high-speed broadband internet in the port.

At the official launch on 22 October, Bavarian State Minister Judith Gerlach declared: “Soon, not only will bayernhafen Aschaffenburg be the place where goods are unloaded from barges, but also the loading point for large packets of data! The classic transport modes will receive a major boost through the addition of state-of-the-art communication and data exchange networks. Cutting-edge digital infrastructure will help advance the port, the companies operating from it and, with it, the entire region. So, ‘anchors away’ for fibre optic expansion in bayernhafen.”

bayernhafen Regensburg has gained ENTEGA Medianet GmbH as its partner in the development of the communications infrastructure in bayernhafen Aschaffenburg. The Darmstadt-based energy and infrastructure service provider will invest its own funds to connect around 20 companies in the port area to the state-of-the-art fibre optic network. The project will involve laying several kilometres of fibre optic cable to deliver transmission rates of up to 1,000 Mbit/s. Work on expanding the fibre optic network is due to be completed at the start of next year. ENTEGA will work in close cooperation with bayernhafen to expand the network to offer complete coverage and connect all interested parties in the Aschaffenburg port area to the service.

“bayernhafen Aschaffenburg has 100 years of proven expertise in establishing connections that ensure goods safely reach their destination,” says Anja Bokeloh Head of Technology and Operations at bayernhafen Aschaffenburg. “This requires the right type of infrastructure: cranes, rail track, roads, handling technology – and also digital Infrastructure.” And Alexander Zeiger, Head of Real Estate Business, stresses the importance of the location factor: “By expanding the high-speed internet network, we are strengthening the position of the companies in the port and in the region, in particular in light of the challenges they face in the future. We are really happy that the cooperation with ENTEGA has enabled the expansion of the fibre optic network to start in our anniversary year.”

Frank Gey, the Managing Director of ENTEGA, is also pleased about the cooperation with bayernhafen: “Bayernhafen and ENTEGA are two strong partners dedicated to state-of-the-art, high-performance infrastructure. I am delighted that, through our high-speed fibre optic network, we will contribute to making this unique location, with its tradition spanning more than 100 years, into both the gateway to the world and the gateway to the region.” The Managing Director of ENTEGA particularly stressed the fact that the expansion of the fibre optic network in bayernhafen will be entirely funded by ENTEGA itself, which underscores the great significance of the project to the entire region.

In 2019, the Chief Executive Officer of bayernhafen, Joachim Zimmermann, articulated the need for a large-scale rollout of broadband internet throughout the port within the next two years. At the launch of the work on expanding the network, he said: “Strong, viable ports are essential for ensuring that trade and industry are supplied with everything they need. Communications network infrastructure is key to driving the digitalisation of logistics processes and infrastructure. That’s why we, as site architects, are committed to putting high-performance data networks in place at the six bayernhafen locations.”