What Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH does

Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH is a seaport terminal operator and maritime service provider headquartered at Emden Outer Harbor in northern Germany. Founded in Bremen in 1956 and relocated to Emden in 1964 to serve the newly opened Volkswagen plant, the company operates Terminal Emskai — a 275-meter quay facility with 28,800 sqm of sprinklered warehouses, 100,000 sqm of asphalted parking, and specialized equipment including 18 forklifts and 6 tug masters with 60 Mafi trailers. The business is organized around four service lines: Automobile Handling (RoRo operations and high & heavy cargo), Forest Products (pulp, paper rolls, timber plywood handling and warehousing for the European paper industry), Port-Specific Services (stevedoring, customs clearance, forwarding, project cargo, offshore logistics), and Ships Agency (24/7/365 vessel support since the early 1980s).

Revenue is generated through B2B professional services contracts with industrial customers in the automotive, paper, and maritime sectors. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company engages customers directly via enterprise field sales and long-term agreements — most notably a continuous relationship with UPM-Kymmene Corporation since 1983 (extended through 2027 with a 3-year option) and a 1987 joint venture (Autoport Emden GmbH) with Volkswagen Logistics, EVAG, and Gerd Buss that has grown into the third-largest automobile handling port in Europe at ~900,000 vehicles per year.

Anker Schiffahrt is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lexzau, Scharbau GmbH & Co. KG (Leschaco), a Bremen-based, family-controlled logistics group founded in 1879 that operates approximately 72 offices across more than 22 countries with around 2,500 employees globally. The Leschaco parent is controlled by the Conrad family; Constantin Conrad serves as both CEO of Leschaco Group and Managing Director of Anker Schiffahrt, alongside co-MD Jan Remmers (appointed 2016). The company holds AEO (Authorized Economic Operator), ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications.

Name

Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH

Legal name

Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH

Website

https://ankerschiffahrt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH operates Terminal Emskai in Germany's westernmost seaport, providing automobile handling, forest products logistics, port services, and 24/7 ships agency to enterprise customers in the automotive, paper, and maritime industries as a 100% subsidiary of the Leschaco Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Terminal & Stevedoring Services

NAICS

Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Support Activities for Transportation (488), Port and Harbor Operations (488310)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Terminal Cargo Handling & Yard Operations (Receiving, Staging, Delivery) (TLAHALAB), Breakbulk & Project Cargo Handling (Heavy Lift, Out-of-Gauge Handling) (TLAHALAH)

Keywords

• Seaport terminal operations
• Automobile handling services
• Forest products logistics
• Ships agency services
• Port logistics solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Emden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Terminal Operations and Stevedoring: Handling and storage of automobiles, forest products (pulp, paper), and general cargo at the Emden outer port terminal. Includes RoRo handling, conventional cargo operations, and warehousing services.
2. Ships Agency Services: 24/7/365 ship agency services for all vessel types and sizes. Includes port formalities, crew changes, bunker procurement, and coordination services. Operating since early 1980s.
3. Logistics and Freight Forwarding: Customs clearance, forwarding, and multimodal transport coordination (barge, rail, truck, container). Includes own customs warehouse (OZL) and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Anker Schiffahrt is a seaport transshipment and terminal operator at Terminal Emskai in Emden, Germany, delivering four integrated service lines: Automobilumschlag (RoRo and conventional automobile handling plus high & heavy cargo), Forstprodukte (pulp, paper, timber and plywood transshipment and warehousing), Hafenspezifische Dienstleistungen (stevedoring, chartering, customs declaration, forwarding, project cargo, offshore logistics, and trimodal transport coordination), and Ships Agency (24/7/365 vessel agency, port formalities, crew changes, bunker procurement). All services are delivered directly through the company's own workforce, equipment, and infrastructure.

Product overview

Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH is a seaport transshipment and terminal operator offering a unified portfolio of logistics services centered around its Terminal Emskai facility in Emden, Germany. The company provides four core service lines: Automobile Handling (Automobilumschlag) for vehicle processing and RoRo operations; Forest Products (Forstprodukte) for pulp, paper, and timber logistics; Port Specific Services for stevedoring, customs, warehousing, and project cargo; and Ships Agency for comprehensive vessel support. The company operates as a 100% subsidiary of the Leschaco Group and partners with Autoport Emden GmbH for automobile handling operations. Terminal Emskai serves as the physical infrastructure supporting all service lines, featuring warehouses, parking areas, and specialized handling equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automobilumschlag (Automobile Handling) Handling, transshipment and storage of automobiles at the Emden outer harbor terminal for vehicle manufacturers and automotive logistics providers. Includes RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) handling, processing of import/export vehicles, and high & heavy cargo handling for construction machinery, harvesters, buses, and tractors.
• Forstprodukte (Forest Products Handling) Handling, transshipment and warehousing of forest products (wood pulp, paper, timber plywood, hardboards) for the European paper industry, with onward transport by barge, rail, truck or container.
• Hafenspezifische Dienstleistungen (Port-Specific Services) Individual maritime seaport solutions including ship brokerage, clearance, stevedoring, chartering, offshore logistics, project cargo, warehousing, container stuffing, forwarding, customs declaration and trimodal logistics.
• Ships Agency Professional vessel agency for all ship sizes and types with 24/7/365 service. Includes port information, waiting berth procurement, formalities execution, documentation, waste disposal, dry docking support, crew changes, and bunker supplies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12 million tons of forest products handled since 1983
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UPM-Kymmene CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Longstanding partnership since 1983 for terminal operations handling pulp and forest products. Extended until December 31, 2027 with option for 3 additional years. One of the longest continuous service agreements within UPM Corporation globally. Services include pulp handling, stevedoring, warehousing, and multimodal transport coordination to paper mills.
• Autoport Emden GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987Co-founded in 1987 by Anker Schiffahrt, Volkswagen Logistics, EVAG, and Gerd Buss. Third largest automobile handling port in Europe. Anker Schiffahrt handles private vehicles and high & heavy cargo (construction machinery, harvesters). Over 20 million vehicles handled since founding. Annual volume approximately 900,000 vehicles.
• PWL Peter W. LampkeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1987Booking agent for Volkswagen Group logistics. Receives private vehicles and high & heavy cargo from Anker Schiffahrt for transfer to car carriers.
• Meyer Werft PapenburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Long-term cooperation for outfitting cruise ships, ferries, research vessels, and container ships at Emden port. Work primarily conducted with partner OMYA GmbH.
• Lexzau, Scharbau GmbH & Co. KG (Leschaco)coreOthers · 1 January 1956Parent company - 100% subsidiary relationship. Leschaco Group is a traditional, owner-managed logistics service provider offering intercontinental logistics solutions for sea and air freight, contract logistics, and tank container operations. Founded 1879 in Hamburg, headquartered in Bremen. 72 offices in 22+ countries with approximately 2,500 employees worldwide.
• NiedersachsenPortsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort operator partnership for Emden harbor operations. Close cooperation with port infrastructure management.
• OMYA GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for cruise ship outfitting operations at Emden port in cooperation with Meyer Werft.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• NiedersachsenPorts GmbH & Co. KG: State-owned operator of the Lower Saxony public ports including Emden itself. Already a partner of Anker and effectively the landlord/port authority whose decisions directly shape Anker's operating environment.

Direct peers

• Wallenius Wilhelmsen ASA: Global leader in finished vehicle and RoRo ocean logistics with terminal operations at multiple European ports. Directly comparable to Anker's vehicle handling and ships agency activities for OEM customers.
• C. Steinweg (Steinweg Group): Rotterdam-headquartered stevedoring, warehousing and forwarding group operating terminals across Europe including breakbulk and project cargo — directly comparable to Anker's Terminal Emskai and forest products handling.
• EUROGATE GmbH & Co. KGaA: Major German container and RoRo terminal operator with facilities at Bremerhaven and Hamburg. Competes with Anker for breakbulk, RoRo, and project cargo on the German North Sea coast and shares a similar port-operator service mix.
• BLG Logistics Group AG & Co. KG: Bremerhaven-based auto and RoRo terminal operator that handles VW, BMW and other OEM vehicle flows in competition with Autoport Emden. Highly comparable in automobile handling, breakbulk, and contract logistics at a competing German North Sea port.
• DFDS A/S: Danish RoRo ferry and logistics operator providing breakbulk, automobile and project cargo services across the North Sea and Baltic — directly comparable shipping and terminal model to Anker's VW-linked flows.
• Höegh Autoliners ASA: Pure-play deep-sea RoRo vehicle carrier serving similar OEM customers globally, with port call and ship agency requirements that mirror Anker's ships agency business.

Emerging players

• Unifeeder A/S: European short-sea container feeder and logistics network that, like Anker, organizes multi-modal port flows and relies on regional terminal infrastructure for its European gateway operations.

Broad incumbents

• Rhenus Logistics: German-headquartered, family-owned multimodal logistics provider with port logistics, stevedoring, contract logistics and freight forwarding — overlapping with Anker's full service portfolio and Leschaco's broader network.
• Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA): Listed operator of Hamburg container terminals and intermodal logistics. Comparable in port terminal and intermodal offering, but at significantly larger scale and with a primarily container focus rather than Anker's breakbulk/auto mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Leschaco_Group
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anker-schiffahrts-gesellschaft-mbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anker Schiffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH