Port of Hirtshals is set to become bigger:
Billion-DKK port expansion is now open for tender
Port of Hirtshals has been intensely preparing for the largest expansion in its 100-year history, and now it is one step closer to realization with an EU tender of around DKK 1 billion. The port expansion aims to significantly improve the navigation conditions and optimize the port’s facilities, allowing even more space for green energy projects.
Port of Hirtshals is set to expand, and in this regard, a billion-DKK EU tender has just been announced for the construction work of the expansion with a total budget of around DKK 1 billion. The port is to be expanded partly to improve the navigation conditions, allowing larger ships to dock at the port in harsher weather conditions than is currently the case, and partly to establish marshalling and industrial areas on the port premises.
- With this tender, we take yet another significant step towards realizing the port expansion, expected to be completed in 2027. It once again emphasizes the substantial development of Port of Hirtshals, which is intended to support the port's crucial role as a central traffic hub between Norway and Europe and as a key player in the green transition, where both the port's facilities and navigational conditions will be crucial for the green transformation, says CEO of Port of Hirtshals, Per Holm Nørgaard, and continues:
- Together with the recent grant of DKK 109 million to the Greenport Scandinavia consortium, working on establishing Northern Europe's largest hub for the storage and shipment of CO2, right here in Hirtshals, we are well on our way to realizing our green ambitions.
The EU tender for the port expansion is a negotiated tender. This means that, within the first month, a number of companies will be prequalified to submit an initial offer, which will then be part of individual negotiations between Port of Hirtshals and the bidders towards the final bid.
The benefits of a negotiated EU tender include the opportunity for the port to obtain the most optimal design for the port expansion, ensuring control over construction costs from the beginning. Additionally, engaging in negotiations with the bidder facilitates clarity and agreement on risk elements. The negotiation process also allows for the clarification of an optimal schedule that accommodates a flexible execution period for the general contractor, meeting the operational requirements of the port.
- The tender is decided based on an assessment of the best balance between price and quality, considering criteria such as carbon footprint and sustainability, technical quality, project management, key personnel, workplace safety, and public and tourist involvement in the project. This comprehensive approach provides a 360-degree view of the port expansion and how it can be realized in the best possible way, says Niels Kiersgaard, COO at Port of Hirtshals.
Port of Hirtshals expects to submit the final bid for approval to the Hjørring City Council no later than the fall of 2024.