Hirtshals Havn drops large offer: Port expansion is divided into several stages

HJØRRING: Hirtshals Port must be expanded to make room for the port's ambitions to become a CO2 hub and Europe's greenest port. But perhaps learned from the economic chaos that large construction projects have led to in the nearby ports of Frederikshavn and Hanstholm, the owner behind Hirtshals Havn, Hjørring Municipality, has chosen to slow down the pace of expansion. 

This is shown by the fact that the project on expanding the Nordhavnen is now being divided into stages in a so-called "Hirtshals model", where the focus will initially be on improving sailing conditions. Therefore, the entire tender has now been cancelled. The port states in a press release that the cancellation is an expression of the fact that "the port's board – just like with the rest of the business – wants the expansion of the port to be carried out in a responsible manner."

- It is important that we at Hirtshals Havn always have a healthy balance between our expenses and potential income. I can best compare the decision to divide the port expansion into stages with a family that wants to renovate their house and build on, says chairman of the board of Hirtshals Havn, Michael Lundgaard Thomsen, and adds:

- They may wish to have it all done within six months, but if the basic prerequisites change due to unforeseen technical challenges or the budget exceeds the set framework, it may well be that you have to wait a year or two to build a new carport or consider alternative cheaper solutions.

Was going to be more expensive than expected

Hirtshals Havn had budgeted expenses of DKK 1 billion. DKK for the expansion, but the indicative bids were considerably more expensive. The combination of, among other things, more expensive materials and uncertainties about the general economic development in the markets resulted in larger expected expenses for the port expansion than first estimated. Therefore, the port is now instead working on the port expansion in a new model, where the expansion takes place at a pace that is financially sound.

- It is therefore prudent that we cancel the tender and continue with the port expansion in another way. We are still determined to complete the port expansion, but we are splitting the very large project into smaller chunks instead of doing it all at once. It simply means that we are looking for nourishment, says Michael Lundgaard Thomsen.

Hirtshals Havn's ambition to become the greenest port in Europe will not be affected by the decision to cancel the tender. The port continues purposefully with plans to become a hub for the production and consumption of renewable energy and to establish collaborations with companies that work with green transition.

- As the owner of the Port of Hirtshals, we at Hjørring Municipality can only support the port choosing to cancel the ongoing tender. This helps to ensure that the expansion takes place at the right pace, which does not cause the port - or the municipality's citizens - greater financial risk than is absolutely necessary, says Søren Smalbro (V), Mayor of Hjørring Municipality and Deputy Chairman of Hirtshals Havn.

amp