Audible response

Consultation response in connection with market dialogue on operating support scheme for the industry

Danish Ports thanks for the opportunity to provide comments in connection with the market dialogue on operating support scheme for the green transition of industry.

General comments
Danish commercial ports play an important role in Denmark's green transition towards 2030 and 2050. The ports are central hubs for Denmark's infrastructure and at the same time large business areas with maritime industry clusters, and in collaboration with the ports' companies and operators, the ports have launched initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions at the ports to support the national
climate objectives.

It is very important that the maritime sector is included in the pool in the operating support scheme because there are sectors in the maritime sector that are currently CO2 intensive and which, through a transition, can contribute to the realization of Denmark's climate goals. This applies, for example, to shipping, refineries that are converting to the production of future green fuels and the fish processing industry, which is moving from black to green energy in production.

Expanding and converting industrial production is costly and therefore the operating support scheme will support the realization of investments in the expansion of new, sustainable production facilities that will contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions.

The fish processing industry is an industry with high CO2 emissions in the ports and nearby industrial areas. A transformation of the fish processing industry in the ports will strengthen competitiveness and support the phasing out of fossil fuels to a more energy-efficient production in line with the national climate goals. However, the transition to greener production in the fish processing industry requires both investments in new facilities and investments to restructure operations.

In the maritime value chain in and around the Danish ports, costly initiatives are underway in the transition to sustainable industrial production to reduce CO2 emissions for the benefit of the surrounding communities, citizens and businesses.

Therefore, we find it positive that the fish processing industry is included in the operating aid scheme.

Kind regards,
Tina Grønholdt Hansen
Danske Havne