North German heads of government are demanding billions for port expansion!

North German heads of government are demanding billions for port expansion!

The prime ministers of the northern German states gathered in the Hanseatic city of Schwerin on Thursday. A central topic at the meeting was the demand for targeted federal support for the expansion of the ports. This initiative is part of a billion-dollar investment package necessary to improve infrastructure and implement the energy transition. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) emphasized how important this point is in the negotiations with her counterparts Borken newspaper reported.

The northern German states are demanding an additional 400 million euros from the federal government to finance the urgently needed expansion and renovation of the ports on the North and Baltic Seas. So far only 38 million euros are available annually, which is not enough for the relevant measures. Schwesig explained that the ports are of great importance for the entire Federal Republic and that a clear plan for using the funds from the federal government's billion-dollar special fund is necessary in order to achieve the climate goals set. This opinion is also shared by the heads of government from Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, who see the expansion of the port infrastructure as a national task, according to the edition of Tagesschau.de.

Offshore wind power: A key to the energy future

Another important topic was the expansion of offshore wind turbines. The prime ministers recognized that wind power from the lake is an important building block for future electricity feed-in in Germany. At the same time, they are calling for the approval process to be accelerated and for improved state funding for the projects. In the time horizon up to 2030, around 270 offshore wind turbines must be installed annually in order to meet the fixed goals of the Wind Energy at Sea Act (WindSeeG), which envisages a total output of 30 GW by 2030. However, the expansion must be supported by the appropriate port infrastructure, such as Seaports.de analyzed.

The Wilhelmshaven Port Industry Association is therefore calling for an increase in investments in the port infrastructure. Many port areas in Germany are currently overloaded, and in order to achieve the offshore goals, an additional area of ​​around 300 hectares is required. The expansion of the JadeWeserPort is a crucial step in meeting this need. In the future, the port will serve as a multi-purpose terminal for both offshore wind energy and other thematic uses.

During the meeting, Schwesig emphasized that cooperation between business, trade unions and politics is essential in order to assert common interests. She sees great support among the population for offshore wind farms, which underlines the importance of the issue. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) also emphasized the need for a clear strategy for the expansion and financing of the port infrastructure.

Overall, it can be said that the northern German states agree: the energy transition can only be successfully achieved with targeted support from the federal government and the necessary infrastructure.