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Emden is starting a new mega-ship berth with 70 million euros!
On August 12, 2025, the construction of a new mega-ship berth began in the Emden outer harbor in order to ensure competitiveness.
Emden is starting a new mega-ship berth with 70 million euros!
Construction of a new berth for large ships has begun in the Emden outer harbor, a step that is intended not only to ensure the competitiveness of the location, but also to take into account the ecological requirements of the Ems. A significant signal was sent with the first ramming blow by Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies and Environment Minister Christian Meyer on August 12, 2025. How Inland shipping online highlights in his report, for the successful existence of the port of Emden, which has established itself as number two in Germany and number three in Europe for automobile handling, a new pier with a quay wall 337 meters long and a comprehensive terminal area of 23,200 m² will be created.
The cost of the project is around 70 million euros, financed by the state of Lower Saxony, to create the necessary additional capacity required for the increasing throughput of vehicles and general cargo. Last year, around 1.24 million vehicles were handled in Emden, making the port a central hub for the Volkswagen Group. The present needs analysis has clearly shown that the current berths are no longer sufficient to cope with the growing sizes of the ships. Niedersachsen.de emphasizes that the planned tidal control aims to make adjustments in the water quality of the river and that the existing berths are threatened by deep fluctuations under low water forecasts.
Ecological benefits and future of the port
The new berth should not only improve functional aspects, but also contribute to the ecological restoration of the Ems River. The aim is to restore typical river habitats and improve water quality. It is planned that the tidal control of the Ems will enable a shallower draft in the outer harbor, which is expected to reduce the water depth at existing berths by around 40 centimeters. This could have a positive impact on both shipping and the environment in the region. The time emphasizes that the measures are part of the “Ems Master Plan”, which pursues sustainable development of the river in combination with economic growth.
The project was awarded to the bidding group “Realization of the large ship berth in Emden” in May 2025. In this group, companies such as Gebr. Neumann from Emden, Aug. Prien and Van Oord Wasserbau from Hamburg work together to carry out the dismantling work of the existing facilities, the new construction of the quay structure and the necessary dredging work. Holger Banik, Managing Director of NPorts, pointed out the strategic importance of Lower Saxony's ports and expressed confidence in the positive prospects that this new project brings with it for the Emden location.
Overall, this shows that Emden is not only a logistics center, but also takes responsibility for the environment. Thanks to the new berth and the planned environmental protection measures, the port will be well prepared for the future.