New container terminal in Copenhagen

By & Havn’s advisors are preparing materials for distribution in the prequalification phase with the goal of locating suitable candidates for a design and build contract at the future container terminal in the port in Copenhagen. The task will be sent out at the end of March 2022 the prequalification phase, and the container terminal is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Copenhagen’s new 165,000 m² container terminal will assist to ensure that goods and freight can continue to be delivered sustainably directly to the centre of Copenhagen, avoiding extensive road transport.

By & Havn is the developer of the new container terminal, while Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) becomes the operator. The new container terminal will be an extension of the existing cruise terminal at Oceankaj, replacing the existing 140,000 m² container terminal on Levantkaj. The relocation of the terminal will make further expansion of Nordhavn possible, where according to the plan 35,000 people will be living in the future, once the area is fully developed.

Anne Skovbro, CEO of By & Havn, sees excellent potential with the new container terminal:

"With the new container terminal, we are not only maintaining Copenhagen’s history as a prosperous market town, but at the same time we contribute to making it a greener capital where products can be delivered as sustainably as possible directly to the end-customers. In addition, with the relocation of the container terminal from Levantkaj to Ydre Nordhavn, we are really addressing the next stages of the development of Nordhavn, where in the future Levantkaj will be developed as a new residential area for existing and future generations of Copenhageners.”

Situated at the tip of Ydre Nordhavn, the new container terminal will be located in an area with a well-developed and modern infrastructure, along with dedicated areas for the logistics of the future. The construction of the new Nordhavnstunnel under Svanemøllebugten is well underway, and when the tunnel is completed in 2027, transport to and from the container terminal will have direct access to the motorway network via the tunnel. This will relieve Indre Nordhavn of a large part of the heavy traffic that currently runs at the intersection of Kalkbrænderihavnsgade / Sundkrogsgade and on the road section Sundkrogsgade and Baltikavej.

There is joy at CMP, which will be operating the new container terminal, at the prospect of a new, modern, and sustainable container terminal.

Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO of Copenhagen Malmö Port, comments:

"We look forward to welcoming our customers to a new and modern container terminal in Copenhagen. It will be a future-proof terminal that can serve the customers at a high level and ensure the best possible supply of goods and freight to large parts of Sjælland, for many years to come. The construction of a distribution centre – as a neighbour of the terminal – will further strengthen the logistical possibilities. A future distribution centre will strengthen the ‘last mile’ of goods to the centre of Copenhagen, something that was shown to be crucial during the corona pandemic.”

For Barbara Scheel Agersnap, it is positive that the container terminal is located in Ydre Nordhavn, as the majority of goods passing through the container terminal are driven to or from areas near the urban areas of Copenhagen.

“In my opinion, it makes sense to transport the goods through Nordhavn, as this way they are transported as close to the end customer as possible, which results in the lowest possible carbon footprint. At the same time, traffic on the roads is reduced.

The trucks can already be diverted around the centre of Copenhagen via Nordhavnstunnellen, and with the upcoming projects our location will be further strengthened – both when one looks at the service we can offer and at the lower carbon footprint."

BRIEF FACTS: New container terminal in Ydre Nordhavn

• The invitation to tender is made as a design and build contract.
• The cost of constructing the new container terminal including cranes, road access and other facilities is expected to be in the neighbourhood of DKK 800 million.
• The container terminal will have two new container cranes, a quay length of up to 550 metres, and a water depth down to 12.5 metres. This is 2.5 metres deeper than the current container terminal has. Plus in addition, new and modern port facilities and commercial buildings.
• With the location of the new container terminal in Ydre Nordhavn, the entrance to the terminal will also be optimised for the benefit of all shipping companies that will use the terminal.
• Space will be made for the terminal to be continuously expanded as freight volumes increase and i.a. new logistics companies are established.
• The existing terminal at Levantkaj consists of approximately 140,000 m². When the new terminal in Ydre Nordhavn is fully developed, it will amount to approx. 165,000 m².
• The area where the terminal is located is part of a new land refill of a total of 100 hectares in Ydre Nordhavn. In addition to the container terminal, this area will also accommodate a large new nature park, consisting of 28 hectares.
• An environmental impact assessment has been prepared for the construction of the new container terminal, and environmental approvals have been granted for the project.
• The relocation of the existing container terminal opens up the further urban development of Levantkaj, with its plans to be developed into a new and sustainable residential area in Nordhavn.

For additional information, please contact:

Kristian Wederkinck Olesen, Communications Manager, By & Havn: E-mail: kwo@byoghavn.dk, Telephone: +45 30535004

Ulrika Prytz Rugfelt, PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Copenhagen Malmö Port AB
E-mail: ulrika.prytz@cmport.com, Telephone: +46 (0)70 252 00 98.