Bundeswehr: Neuer Marinehafen an der Nordsee: Emden setzt sich durch

Germany is set to acquire a second naval port along the North Sea coast in the city of Emden, according to dpa reports. The new military location is planned to be established in Ostfriesien. Presently, Wilhelmshaven hosts the sole naval port along the North Sea. Naval sources indicate the need for a 40-hectare area, with the option to expand by an additional 10 hectares.

The new naval base will accommodate seven frigates, ten mine-clearing vessels, and ten tugboats. It is expected to employ a four-digit number of military personnel and civilian staff. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Lower Saxony Prime Minister Olaf Lies (both SPD) are expected to visit Emden on October 5th, as per a State Chancellery invitation in Hanover.

They aim to clarify further steps regarding a potential new naval base, which will also include the inspection of the Marine, Vice Admiral Wilhelm Tobias Abry, and Emden's first mayor Horst Jahnke (SPD). Pistorius declined to comment on a possible decision on the location during a recent meeting in Bremen. As for the selection process, criteria, and potential locations, no details have been disclosed.

The Defence Ministry recently referred to "new site and property requirements" arising from planned force growth. The Lower Saxony government has been advocating for Emden as a naval port. Until 1997, the largest Ostfriesland city had a naval base. Lower Saxony, as a Bundeswehr country, has expressed strong interest in a robust Emden location.

Emden harbor, according to the state-owned Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts) company, has the largest unused area potential among all Lower Saxony ports. The Rysumer Nacken, a harbor expansion area west of the seaport city, owned by the state, could be the target area. For years, Emden city, NPorts, and the state have been considering how to utilize the area for further harbor development, with previous plans for a civilian use.

Currently, the only naval port along the North Sea coast is in Wilhelmshaven, which is also the largest Bundeswehr site overall. Besides the naval base, it includes a naval arsenal and a logistics center. The naval base houses Flotilla 2, one of the three large divisions of the German Navy, consisting of frigates, operation support groups, and fleet tankers.