Great progress in 2024: More cargo, bigger ships and more calls

The Port of Aalborg saw increased activity on land and sea in 2024. Cargo turnover reached 2.5 million tonnes, a significant increase compared to the 2.1 million tonnes of cargo handled by the Port of Aalborg in 2023.

The positive development is partly due to more ships coming to Aalborg – 901 ships compared to 808 the year before – and especially because the ships are larger on average and can therefore carry more goods than before.

– It is very satisfying that the number of ship calls is now increasing again, rising by more than 10 percent from 2023 to 2024, while the ships continue to get bigger, says CEO of Port of Aalborg, Kristian Thulesen Dahl, and continues:

– The green transition is a good example of the development, as components for the wind energy industry, for example, are getting bigger and bigger. In 2024, we handled more general cargo for the green transition, partly because several companies at the port are suppliers to some of the world’s largest offshore wind farms. And we expect this development to continue over the coming years.

In addition to elements for the green transition, the port saw a significant growth in goods within grain, animal feed and materials for the construction industry.

On the other hand, less petrol and diesel were imported partly due to the increasing number of electric cars. In addition, the port handled fewer freight trains as a result of Banedanmark renovating the railway tracks between Aarhus and Aalborg in the autumn.

Container terminal is financially sustainable

Container traffic in and out of Aalborg also grew. In October, the number of containers handled surpassed the level of all of 2023. Kristian Thulesen Dahl is pleased with the development of the container terminal, which the port has operated since 2023.

– Today, the terminal is run with the aim of providing optimal conditions for the business community, and we continue to experience increasing interest from shipping companies, freight forwarders and companies in North Jutland. In just two years, we have succeeded in making the container terminal financially sustainable, and we just have to keep going because the potential is huge, says Kristian Thulesen Dahl and continues:

– It takes time for companies to change their logistics set-up, but the customers and goods are there. We know that we are competitive and that companies can potentially save both time and money by choosing Aalborg Container Terminal because we have a setup that makes us very flexible. At the same time, the terminal’s local anchoring is of great importance because companies do not need to send their containers by road to other parts of the country. This allows them to save CO2 and relieve the already pressurised road network.

Container traffic in and out of Aalborg is primarily handled via weekly calls to and from Hamburg, a crucial hub for global container traffic.

For further information, please contact:

• Kristian Thulesen Dahl, CEO, Port of Aalborg A/S, tel. +45 99 30 15 00 and ktd@portofaalborg.com
• Press service: Maja Thordahl Schou, Head of PR, Port of Aalborg A/S, tel. +45 22 61 83 08 and mts@portofaalborg.com