Port of Esbjerg rides the winds of change

The 650,000 sq/m expansion of the harbour will consolidate Esbjerg’s position as a leading North Sea port for the wind turbine industry and increase its potential to develop and grow other business areas.

Esbjerg is the self-proclaimed EnergyMetropolis of Denmark, and has recently been nominated to become a member city of the World Energy City Partnership.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Esbjerg, Johnny Søtrup and the Danish Minister of Transport, Henrik Dam Kristensen. To indicate the significance for the entire city, all citizens of Esbjerg were invited to a harbour festival afterwards with music and entertainment.

The new section of the harbour has taken two years to build at a cost of some €100m.

Representatives from the wind turbine industry will be the first to move into the new area, which features facilities specially designed for testing, pre-assembly and shipping of offshore wind turbines. The Østhavn is also designed to accommodate the needs of the oil and gas industry, as well as ro-ro and container operators.

Speaking at the event, port director Ole Ingrisch said: ‘Handling offshore wind turbine traffic has become more and more demanding with respect to infrastructure and harbour facilities. Our new Østhavn is big enough for even the largest of wind turbines. Having that capacity is crucial in the ever-more competitive market for offshore wind projects.”

Esbjerg’s Mayor, Johnny Søttrup, acknowledged that the success in Esbjerg is largely due to the enterprising and adaptive nature of the city that has transformed entirely from fishing to the energy sector.

He said: “The development in the energy sector is rapid, and we experience a huge demand for offshore wind turbines in the North Sea. It is therefore essential that the Port of Esbjerg had vision and foresight to expand the harbour. We are now not only able to meet demands but also to take an active part in shaping the future development.”