Expansion North:
Hjørring Municipal Council Approves Loan Guarantee for Extension of the Western Breakwater
Hjørring Municipal Council has approved the municipal loan guarantee for the first phase of the Port Expansion, Expansion North, Extension of the Western Breakwater. This secures a key financial prerequisite for the project. The extension will provide safer and more stable navigation conditions while improving schedule reliability for existing and future traffic to and from Hirtshals.
Hjørring Municipal Council has approved an application from the Board of Directors of Port of Hirtshals for a municipal loan guarantee totalling approximately €100 million for the Extension of the Western Breakwater. The approval marks another important milestone for the Port Expansion, Expansion North.
– Port of Hirtshals has undergone significant development in recent years, and we need to ensure that this development can be supported for many years to come. Vessels are becoming larger, while requirements for capacity, schedule reliability and navigation conditions are increasing. With the Extension of the Western Breakwater, we are making a long-term investment in the infrastructure required by both our existing and future customers, says Per Anholm Nørgaard, CEO at Port of Hirtshals.
An investment in the future of the port
Port of Hirtshals plays a central role in transport between Denmark and Norway, as well as in connections to the wider North Atlantic region. At the same time, the port is an important hub for commercial activity in Hirtshals and the wider Hjørring Municipality.
The Extension of the Western Breakwater will improve conditions for the traffic and activities already taking place at the port. At the same time, the project will provide the infrastructure required to support the port’s continued development.
The Western Breakwater will be extended by approximately 350 metres, while the project comprises the construction of approximately 750 metres of new breakwater. The extension will provide greater shelter and reduce wave disturbance at the port entrance. This will improve manoeuvring conditions and increase schedule reliability for vessels and ferries calling at the port.
Financing the project
The Extension of the Western Breakwater will be financed by Port of Hirtshals through borrowing. As the owner of the port, Hjørring Municipality will provide a guarantee for the loan but will not finance the construction works themselves. Port of Hirtshals will bear the costs and is responsible for repaying the loan. The project is based on a commercial assessment that the investment can be supported by the port’s current operations.
– Port of Hirtshals is an important part of Hjørring Municipality’s business community, employment base and transport infrastructure. It is therefore essential that the port has the appropriate framework to continue its development. Through the loan guarantee, we are supporting a long-term investment while Port of Hirtshals remains responsible for financing the project, says Søren Smalbro, Mayor of Hjørring Municipality and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Port of Hirtshals.
Next steps towards the start of construction
The Port Expansion, Expansion North, has been under development for several years. The project has been structured in phases, with a focus on balancing the port’s development requirements with a financially responsible approach.
The project is based on several years of technical analyses, physical model testing, navigation simulations and environmental studies. These formed the basis for the environmental approval obtained in 2026. With the Municipal Council’s approval of the municipal loan guarantee, another key prerequisite for Phase 1, Extension of the Western Breakwater, is now in place.
Port of Hirtshals is also in the final stage of the tendering process for the construction works and expects to enter into a contract with a contractor by mid-September 2026.
The award of the contract will constitute the next major milestone in the Port Expansion, Expansion North. This will be followed by detailed planning and preparations for the construction works, which are expected to commence in 2027.
According to the current schedule, construction is expected to be completed in 2029/2030.
Facts about the Extension of the Western Breakwater
- The Western Breakwater will be extended by approximately 350 metres.
- The project comprises the construction of approximately 750 metres of new breakwater in total.
- The project also includes an option to shorten the eastern breakwater head. This option will be examined further before a final decision is made.
- Purpose: improved navigation conditions, enhanced safety and increased schedule reliability.
- Environmental approval was obtained in April 2026.
- The project will be financed by Port of Hirtshals.
- Construction is expected to take place between 2027 and 2029/2030.
