Port of Esbjerg sets sights on expansion

The Danish port will launch an environmental impact assessment process, which is expected to commence in early Autumn, to look into the possibilities of further expanding the port with up to 975,000 square meters.    The Port of Esbjerg in western Denmark currently has a high level of activity, and expects this growth to continue in the coming years, the port said in a recent statement.
   To meet future demand, the Port of Esbjerg needs to further expand with about 1 million square meters and 1 kilometer of additional quay length from 2022 to 2030, according to an analysis prepared for the port.
   The port will complete an expansion this year of an additional 250,000 square meters, which had been included in the existing permissions.
   However, an upcoming environmental impact assessment process will clarify the possibilities of further expanding the port with up to 975,000 square meters.
   The formal environmental impact assessment process, including public consultations, is expected to commence in early Autumn.
   Broken down by tonnage, bulk shipments accounted for 45 percent of the cargo handled at the Port of Esbjerg in 2016, followed by roll-on/roll-off cargo at 38 percent, wind components at 8 percent, containers at 5 percent, and other cargo at 4 percent, according to the port’s 2016 annual report.