Well-Attended New Year's Reception at Hvide Sande Harbor

Hvide Sande Port held on Friday, February 9, New Year's reception in collaboration with Sydvestjysk Fishing Association and Hvide Sande Service Group. It was a very well-attended event, where the port's customers and stakeholders gained insight into the port's upcoming investments and opportunities. The afternoon was initiated and sharply moderated by Ekstra Bladet's former editor-in-chief Poul Madsen, who, with a lively presentation about Danish politics and his work at Ekstra Bladet, could draw parallels to the changing but exciting time an industrial port like Hvide Sande Port is in and faces.

Acting port director Steen Davidsen presented Hvide Sande Port's land use plan and investment plans for the coming years, which includes new facilities for better conditions for fishing in South Harbor, a new quay for goods and Offshore SOV vessels in West Harbor, renovation of the auction hall, preparation of the sluice lake for new activities, etc. Plans have been laid for investments of up to 100 million kroner in new infrastructure towards 2030.

Thomas Rahbek Sloth from Sydvestjysk Fishing Association informed about the main points from the Fishing Commission's new report and what impacts it has on fishing from Hvide Sande, both consequences but most importantly the positive aspects and opportunities for the development of fishing. Torben Lindberg Strømgaard from Hvide Sande Service Group talked about the association's purpose and what initiatives have been taken and will take place in the coming years. It offers exciting opportunities for development and collaboration. 

Then followed 3 exciting external presentations from the port's various business areas. Annette Bruhn from Aarhus University presented perspectives from the Win@Sea project in the Baltic Sea, where they test marine farming within Kriekers Flak offshore wind farm with test facilities producing mussels and seaweed (sugar kelp, sea lettuce, and savine kelp). A project with relatively large commercial perspectives for the possibilities in the areas off Hvide Sande in the North Sea, with production, harvesting, and processing/sales on and from Hvide Sande Port. Both for consumption, but especially also as proteins in e.g. animal feed. 

Torben Kylling Petersen, the newly appointed director of Destination Vesterhavet reported about yet another record year for Hvide Sande and the area regarding the number of overnight stays. Only Visit Copenhagen as a destination has more annual overnight stays than Destination Vesterhavet (but this is only if they include Danish guests). Marketing the local area Hvide Sande is very important in the destination's efforts to promote tourism. The authentic environment around Hvide Sande port is extremely important for attracting tourists, and the new tourism director did not hesitate to praise Hvide Sande Port for having the courage to have a mission to be an "open and vibrant port." It is crucial for succeeding with tourism in the area. 

Mikkel Schmidt from Baltic Shipping Company provided insight into the market for Short Sea Shipping, particularly perspectives on the upcoming road tax, but also increasing focus on ESG reporting where CO2 emissions are becoming more and more in focus. This will increasingly shift more goods from roads to ships, which benefits Hvide Sande Port's possibilities for even more goods over the quays in the future. Approximately 200,000 tons of goods pass through Hvide Sande port annually.

Before the closing debate, chairman Hans Schneider presented Hvide Sande port's upcoming port director Mogens Pedersen, who will assume the position on March 1, 2024. Mogens comes with vast experience as the former technical director in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality and most recently over 10 years as municipal director in Varde Municipality. Mogens looks forward to the job, to get started, and to go out and meet the port’s customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Before the New Year's reception concluded with bubbles and cake, Poul Madsen posed challenging questions to all presenters in a panel debate, where there was talk of good collaborations between Fisheries and the possibilities from Win@Sea’s project and the opportunities to continue to shape and run an open and vibrant port in Hvide Sande for the benefit of the entire local area and all business areas.