The Danish port is drafting its future expansion, intending to improve the port's core operations and attract new businesses.

New facilities and infrastructure will be set up, probably in 2025-2026. These will include a new port basin and entry, a longer quay wall, new truck & trailer parking areas, and more land for commercial use. In effect, the port will have the capacity to handle larger vessels and under harsher weather conditions than today.

Next, an independent company will be established to manage the green development of those parts that aren't directly attached to ordinary port operations. "We want to make the port area a centre for production and utilisation of green energy by creating a sector coupling between e.g. district heating, green power and liquid biogas (LBG). Today, several companies at the port have a large quantity of surplus heat that goes unused. In the future, this could be used in an energy symbiosis by other companies or by district heating companies," Steen Harding Hintze, future director of the new development company, highlighted.

To that end, new wind turbines will be erected. The new company, set to be founded this summer, also intends to create a knowledge and competency centre around new green solutions and business models.

Last, the Port of Hirtshals is also working on initiatives - viewing platforms, areas for recreation and angling, and the opportunity to move around the new port areas either on foot or by car - to bring tourists and other visitors to the port.

"We have already completed the preliminary analysis and pilot studies, and we have outlined a strong business case where the conditions have been stress-tested several times. Therefore, we believe that we have a good and solid foundation to work on," Anker Laden-Andersen, Chairman of the Port of Hirtshals' Board, summed up.

Photo: Port of Hirtshals