The Port of Stuttgart is the central cargo handling location and transport hub of the Stuttgart region. Originally conceived as a port for bulk goods such as coal, gravel, sand, pumice, etc., the Port of Stuttgart has adapted to changes in economic and transport policy. Today, it is a modern commercial and industrial port with a wide range of services and a traffic infrastructure that was not found in Stuttgart before the port was built. The combination of inland waterways, railroads and road haulage makes it possible for the economy to transport freight in the most favorable way. The shipping companies, forwarding agencies, warehousing companies and trading companies located here are an economic potential of their own, which enriches the economic structure of Stuttgart. The port and its approximately 2,500 employees make a valuable contribution to strengthening the economic power of the city and the region.