Territory update: Denmark - News in the north

Fehmarnbelt: A "Arrow" invites you to visit the construction site

There have been delays in the construction of the 18 kilometre long tunnel in the Fehmarnbelt. The lowering of the first tunnel element should actually have taken place last year. But because the special ship required for this arrived late, the step was postponed until this year. Since March, visitors to the new viewing platform in Rødbyhavn, known as Pilen, have been able to take a look at the construction work. New restricted areas for water sports enthusiasts have been set up for the underwater work. The work areas are marked with restricted area buoys, the positions of which are publicised in the shipping authorities' nautical publications. When entering the VTS area, vessels must report via "Fehmarnbelt Traffic" on VHF channel 68. In addition to the restricted work areas at sea, there are also restricted areas close to the coast around the construction sites off Fehmarn and Lolland. More information is available at femern.de/watersports.

Denmark builds new offshore wind farm in the Little Belt

Offshore construction is also underway in the Little Belt: A new offshore wind farm called Lillebælt Syd will be built around three kilometres north-east of the island of Alsen by 2029. A total of eleven wind turbines are to be installed in the centre of the Little Belt and will supply almost 150,000 households with electricity. According to the plans, the offshore wind farm is to be built exactly between the Danish peninsula of Helnæs and the northern tip of Alsen. The southern tip of the farm will be around three kilometres from the northern coast of Alsen. So anyone travelling through the Little Belt in the future will not be able to avoid Lillebælt Syd. In addition to the wind farm in the Little Belt, the Danish Energy Agency is planning eleven other projects.

• Denmark: Energy transition - new offshore wind farm in the Little Belt

Further offshore projects off Bornholm

Another major project is planned off the coast of the island of Bornholm. Two huge offshore wind farms with a capacity of three gigawatts are to be built there by 2030 - one of the largest and most important infrastructure projects in the country's history, according to the energy authority. A total of 150 wind turbines are planned around ten nautical miles south-west of the island. The shipping corridor between the two sites Bornholm I and Bornholm II will be 12 nautical miles wide and 20 nautical miles long. In January, however, the Danish Energy Agency announced that the legal framework for the implementation of the next stage was not yet in place and depended on talks with the new German government.

More news from Denmark:

• Denmark: Partial ban on antifouling paints containing biocides
• Denmark: Seven new specialised boats for sea rescuers
• Navigation: Safe journey in Denmark despite target practice

Progress on Copenhagen's mega construction site Lynetteholmen

In Copenhagen, the capital's largest infrastructure project is making progress. In the coming decades, the seven-kilometre-long Lynetteholmen peninsula is to be built at the northern entrance to the port, Ydre Nordhavn. A total of 275 hectares of usable land will be reclaimed from the Baltic Sea. An important milestone was reached in February when several years of work to excavate the seabed was completed. Work is now continuing with the completion of the coastal headlands and stone dams. To the east of Trekroner, a prohibited area has been established, which is marked with yellow buoys. Skippers heading for the harbour of Margretheholm, better known as Lynetten, should pay particular attention to work vessels and the work area markings due to the construction work north-east of the harbour. Due to the lorry traffic to Lynetteholmen, the Margretheholm Bridge is also closed on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., except during fixed bridge opening hours, which can be viewed at danskehavnelods.dk. TipThe "KBH Havn" app contains useful information on water and weather conditions, bathing spots, sailing routes and much more.

Renovations in Juelsminde

In Juelsminde Marina, the year 2024 was all about renewal. On the anniversary of the storm surge in October 2023, the first part of the destroyed pier was restored in the autumn. It had been known for some time that there was a need for action. It was undermined in many places and had sunk considerably over the years. The new stone breakwater should provide much better protection against storms from the east. Nevertheless, many more repairs are needed, says harbour master Knud Madsen. As three million Danish kroner for the first phase of the renovation alone is not easy to raise, even for a well-run harbour, sponsors are being sought whose names will be displayed on a new sponsorship board in the harbour office.

New barbecue bar in the Marina Minde

The "Marinaens Ishus" grill bar opened in Marina Minde in July 2024. Among other things, it serves draught beer, hot dogs and soft ice cream. The harbour restaurant "Værftet Restaurant og Bar" has had a new tenant since 1 April this year. According to the harbour management, you can look forward to specialities such as steak-on-iron, where the steak is served on an iron plate heated to 300 degrees and cooked on the spot. From this season, the rechargeable chip cards previously used for using the showers at Marina Minde will also be replaced by numerical codes. These are available from the harbour ticket machine.

As part of a major renovation project, a new harbour office and new showers and toilets with washing machines and dryers have been built in Toft Marina. Bicycles can now also be hired here.

Playground and café under construction

A new large playground with a maritime character is currently being built in Kalvehave. There will also be a new, larger café offering homemade cakes in the future. However, completion had not yet been finalised at the time of going to press.

Major remodelling project in Middelfart

Middelfart marina has been extensively renovated and modernised for several years. Over the winter, storm damage to the outer part of the stone pier was repaired. At the same time, the "Marina for all" project is in its final stages. Among other things, a beach was heaped up in the surrounding area and beach houses were built. In front of the "Marsvinet" restaurant and the "Café Moon", a youth area with a basketball court and a recreational area with a playground has been created. A beach handball and volleyball court are also planned. As the crowning glory, the municipality wants to build a lighthouse at the end of the pier, which can be used as a vantage point over the Gamborg Fjord.

Municipality takes over Hesnæs harbour

There is new hope for the port of Hesnæs: due to severe damage, the harbour has been closed since the storm surge in October 2023. The operator could not afford the estimated costs of over 13 million Danish kroner to rebuild the harbour. The high costs are mainly due to the improved coastal protection that will be required for reconstruction. Because the municipality of Guldborgsund wants to promote tourism in the region and secure jobs, it has now taken over the harbour in order to rebuild it. Discussions are currently underway with the operator Det Classenske Fideicommis to determine a timetable and budget. The aim is for the first renovation work to begin in autumn 2025 and for the harbour to be accessible to pleasure craft again from spring 2026. The café at the harbour is also to be renovated and reopened.

New petrol station on the Limfjord

The harbour in Struer is the largest marina on the Limfjord and - apart from Aalborg - the only place where boaters can refuel for a long distance. The petrol station has now been relocated from the old harbour to the western area opposite the holiday home complex. The new service bridge is 15 metres long and has space for four boats with a draught of up to three metres. Both GTL diesel and V-Power petrol are available. The relocation of the petrol station has created new berths in the old harbour, where larger boats can moor close to the town.

Sauna and fishing in Randers Fjord

In the marina at Udbyhøj in Randers Fjord, a wilderness sauna, floating shelters and a new clubhouse have been installed in recent years. The Kanonbåden, a kind of mobile maritime communication platform that provides information about the Randers Fjord Nature Park, is also a particular eye-catcher. And there are further plans to make the harbour even more attractive for guests: According to harbour master Christian Heibel Godsk, for example, a new stone reef to encourage fish fry for anglers is currently under discussion.

Expansion of the harbour in Søby is in the starting blocks

The expansion of the harbour in Søby on Ærø has been put out to tender. The plan is to significantly expand the harbour basin and deepen it to 7.50 metres in the centre. In future, a turning circle of 160 metres is to be created here. The outer piers are to be moved 200 metres outwards and a new 150 metre long quay is to be built, which will be secured with iron sheet piles and also serve as a breakwater. In the autumn, the site was also put out to tender to create a new commercial area of just under 15,000 square metres, with Søby Shipyard being granted the right to lease the site. Construction is expected to start in 2026 and the project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

Bar renovations in Endelave

In Endelave, the quay that collapsed into the basin in December 2023 was rebuilt. In addition, the pier between the old and new parts of the harbour was removed and replaced by a new bridge, creating space for eight more boats.