EMDEN On 5 October 2026, Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that a new naval port is to be built in Emden. “We currently have the smallest navy in the history of the Bundeswehr, whilst at the same time facing the largest and most extensive portfolio of tasks. So the navy must grow, and it will,” said Pistorius at the time of the announcement. The Emden Port Development Company (EHFG) expressly welcomes this decision. EHFG Supervisory Board Chairman Timo Siebahn and EHFG Managing Director Reinhard Hegewald see this as a strong signal for the development of the seaport of Emden. As Germany’s westernmost seaport, with its direct connection to the open North Sea, the Port of Emden offers ideal conditions for the German Navy. “The Port of Emden will be a good partner for the Navy,” said Siebahn. “We will welcome the servicemen and women stationed here and their families with open arms at the Port of Emden,” said Hegewald. Both thanked Emden’s Lord Mayor Tim Kruithoff and Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Olaf Lies, as well as everyone in politics, the civil service and within the Bundeswehr who had championed Emden as a location.
Photo: City of Emden
