By Baibhav Mishra
With a EUR 55 million three-year major expansion plan set for completion this summer, the Danish Port of Hanstholm is poised to become Europe’s leading consumer fishing port and the European gateway for Britain’s fishing industry.
With the largest concentration of fishing industries on the continent as well as being home to Denmark’s largest fish auction, the Port of Hanstholm is on course to become Europe’s leading consumer fishing port with the completion of a EUR 55 million three-year major expansion plan this summer.
The expansion will bring a new basin, a new entry to northern Denmark, increased quay area and water depth, better navigation conditions and an expanded hinterland. It is also expected to attract 450 new jobs to Denmark’s youngest port in the coming years at an economic hub that already employs 1,000 and another 1,300 people in secondary industries.
With vessels landing more than 600 tonnes of fish a day for human consumption and industrial use, 2019 saw the value of fish coming through the port scaling EUR 140 million. With the expansion near completion, Niels Clemensen, CEO of the Port of Hanstholm, expects a surge in activities at the port in the coming years:
“Alongside the port expansion, we want to consolidate our position in Denmark and set course on becoming Europe’s leading consumer fishing port. One third of the new hinterland is already rented out, and new activities and projects are coming into the port. It serves as a boost of confidence to our ambitious plans.,” he said.
“We hope to attract more businesses that can see the potential in establishing activities in what we consider the northwest maritime gateway to the entire European and Scandinavian market, Niels Clemensen continues,” Clemensen added.
Location Is Key
With some of the North Sea’s best fishing grounds within range, the Port of Hanstholm boasts an ideal location for a top European fishing port. Fish is sold to customers all over Europe, with rules ensuring that fresh fish from Hanstholm must reach their destinations in the EU within 24 hours of sale.
Attracting both foreign and Danish vessels, the fish auction trades more than 40,000 tonnes of consumer fish annually, which amounts to EUR 67 million in revenue. Among fishermen, the Port of Hanstholm is well-known for offering the highest prices in Northern Europe. This is not least due to the vast network of buyers in Hanstholm and a state-of-the-art fish auction with a very high quantity of goods.
The impact of Brexit, however, could pose both challenges and opportunities for the ambitious Danish port.
“Everyone is looking into the impact of Brexit, and our hope is that we shall continue to see British fishing people coming to Hanstholm. In our case, we hope that the attractive location of the Port of Hanstholm could lead to British companies in the fishing or energy industry establishing European subsidiaries on our newly developed port areas to spearhead their operations in the northern parts of the EU,” Niels Clemensen explained.
Freight, Aquaculture and Wind Power
While increasing fishing-related capacity and activity is the major priority, the expansion plan also involves the Port of Hanstholm’s other key business areas; cargo, aquaculture and wind energy.
The volume of freight transport is increasing across Europe, and the Port of Hanstholm is no exception to this development due to its ideal location on the North Sea coast of Denmark. Hence, an additional 30,000 sqm of space is being made available to the west in the form of a multi-terminal with 140-meter-long berth – ideal for freight activities.
A key to cargo expansion here is the new northern breakwater, extending out from the shore in a curve to provide protection for the new quay, and with a new spending beach on the south pier to absorb wave energy.
The new quays will align with the existing inner breakwater line, enclosing a sizeable hard standing area – adding about one third to the harbour area – suitable for a variety of uses. As a result, the port will now have space to accommodate larger and heavier vessels as well as the storage, assembly, and shipping of wind farm components.
Port of Hanstholm
The Port of Hanstholm is Denmark’s leading port for edible fish and home to Denmark’s largest fish auction. The port was inaugurated in 1967, making it the youngest port in Denmark.
The port is currently undergoing a large expansion through a development project that will be finished in the summer of 2020. The expansion project includes e.g. a new entry to the port towards the north east, a deepening of its waters and new, larger quays as well as hinterland areas.
The port generates around 2,300 local jobs in Thisted Municipality, Denmark of which approximately 1,000 people are employed directly at or by the port, while approximately 1,300 are employed in related industries.
Sea News Feature
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