The traffic wave continues:
Port of Hirtshals maintains its course of positive growth
At Port of Hirtshals, another year has passed with a rising number of visitors and travellers. With the latest figures now available, the port is heading into the second half of the decade with optimism and strong expectations for the upcoming port expansion: Expansion North.
In 2025, more than 100,000 additional passengers travelled via Port of Hirtshals. This brings the total number of passengers to 2,351,000 for the year, compared with 2024. On average, more than 6,400 passengers travelled to or from the port every day in 2025. The figures underline a positive development that has characterised the North Jutland port in recent years.
– We look back with pride on yet another year with more passengers here at Port of Hirtshals. Traffic in and out of the port is our foundation and at the same time a sign of how our customers are doing. The figures therefore reflect the ripple effects that make Port of Hirtshals a central transport hub between the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe, says Per Anholm Nørgaard, CEO at Port of Hirtshals.
The increase in passenger numbers is also reflected in the port’s figures for passenger cars, which rose from 742,000 in 2024 to 764,000 in 2025.
Stable level for heavy transport
Looking at heavy transport at Port of Hirtshals, the level in 2025 remained stable compared with 2024. A total of 128,000 trucks and lorries crossed the quay, while 1,756,000 tons of cargo were transported via the port during the year.
– The volume of cargo crossing our quay is influenced by many factors. Wind, weather and broader societal conditions all have an impact. At the moment we are seeing a shift of cargo towards Sweden due to the road and diesel tax introduced in Denmark on 1 January 2025. This distorts the competitive conditions in the market and unfortunately increases the CO2 footprint of the transport sector. We will take a closer look at this in 2026, says Michael Langballe, Head of Transport & Logistics at Port of Hirtshals.
Michael adds:
– We are therefore quite satisfied to see the same high level in 2025 as in 2024, when it comes to the flow of trucks and the volume of cargo passing through the port here in Hirtshals.
Future traffic at Port of Hirtshals
At Port of Hirtshals, the past year is viewed positively while attention is already directed towards a future with increasing demands on infrastructure. The port therefore continues its focused work on an expansion in the form of the upcoming Expansion North, which will strengthen the port’s position as an industrial platform and prepare it for future ship traffic.
– It is crucial that we expand Port of Hirtshals in order to retain our customers and ensure safe maritime conditions for the larger ships of the future. Without Expansion North, the port will not have the right facilities to welcome these vessels, says Niels Kiersgaard, Technical Director at Port of Hirtshals.
He continues:
– The first phase of Expansion North, which involves improved navigation conditions, is currently in an exciting stage. We are awaiting the environmental approval for the construction project, after which the project will be put out to tender. We expect Phase 1 to be completed in 2029 and look forward to offering greater regularity for our customers while exploring the new opportunities that the expansion will bring.
Phase 1 of Expansion North includes an extension of the outer western breakwater by approximately 350 meters and a relocation of the eastern breakwater head by up to 60 meters. The port continues to work on the full Expansion North project in a phased model where investments are aligned with market demands. In its entirety, Expansion North will include improved navigation conditions, wind turbines, business areas, expanded staging areas and a facility for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).
2025 traffic figures at Port of Hirtshals:
- Passengers: 2,351,000
- Cars: 764,000
- Trucks/lorries: 128,000
- Cargo volume: 1,756,000 tons
- Value of landed fish: DKK 430,000,000
