Deeper approach to the port

The deepening of the fairway to 10 metres has been a long-held wish for the Port of Thyboron. It is a great pleasure for us to have finally achieved this goal.

For the past ten years, the Port of Thyboron has been targeted in its efforts to increase the water depth to meet the needs of our customers operating new and larger vessels in the freight and offshore industries as well as large pelagic fishing vessels.

After several years of work involving the transfer of responsibility from the Danish state for dredging the channel, obtaining environmental approvals for the dredging work, and finally planning the dredging project, we are delighted today to be able to confirm that the approaches to the Port of Thyboron and the Limfjordskaj quays in Sydhavnen have now been deepened.

The water depth has been significantly increased along the entire fairway from the 8 metres previously guaranteed by the state to the 10 metres that we have today. This means that we are all set to welcome the largest pelagic industrial fishing vessels from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland and Iceland to the port this spring, while large cargo and offshore vessels are already benefiting from the increased water depth in the approach to the quays at the Port of Thyboron.

The latest bathymetries for the approach to the port and the Limfordskaj quays in Sydhavnen can be obtained from the port’s maritime department.

DKK 80 million investment in increased water depth and new port facilities
The dredging of the fairway to the Port of Thyboron – Thyboron Canal – is now complete. A water depth of 10 metres in the fairway from the North Sea and between the pier heads into the outer harbour and all the way down to the Limfjordskaj quays in Sydhavnen is now a reality.

The sand from the dredging work has been used for a major expansion of the port areas to the south. More than 600,000 cubic metres of sand have been used to create 150,000 square metres of new port areas for goods handling in the southern part of the Port of Thyboron, parallel to the main road.

The project is the largest dredging and port expansion project in the entire history of the Port of Thyboron.

Potential for many industries
In light of the Port of Thyboron’s unique and well-protected location inside the Liim Fiord, but close to the North Sea, the 10-metre water depth offers significantly more potential for the port’s customers in the fishing, cargo and offshore wind energy industries.

For example, the new water depth offers optimum navigational conditions for the biggest industrial fishing vessels from Norway and the Faroe Islands delivering raw materials to the fishmeal factory TripleNine A/S. The Port of Thyboron is well-located geographically, with an easy approach to the fishmeal factory located directly opposite the port entrance.

In addition, the increased water depth will also benefit the offshore industry, for example in connection with the installation of the Vesterhav Syd and Nord Offshore Wind Farms, the Thor Offshore Wind Farm, and the construction of the forthcoming Energy Island just a stone’s throw away out in the North Sea to the south of Thyboron.

The reliable navigational conditions in all weathers that are a feature of the Port of Thyboron guarantee a stable project flow for the offshore industry, at a good location and close to the future offshore wind energy projects, while the increased water depth gives captains a comfortable margin of safety beneath their keels.

The innovative part of the cargo logistics industry, which is choosing to sail goods in and out of Denmark from the west to avoid congested road networks in the east and to have ample storage space on quayside areas with easy access to the road network, can also benefit greatly from the increased water depth in the fairway. The new water depth paves the way for a wider range of vessels, and gives the industry real opportunities for logistics optimisation while taking the environment into account.

A reliable port
The navigational safety of the Port of Thyboron in all weathers 24/7 and 365 days a year already ensures very high levels of reliability and stable workflows for all these very different industries. The increased water depth now offers even greater flexibility by accommodating a wider range of vessels and making navigation even safer.

At the Port of Thyboron, we have enjoyed watching the large vessels ‘Njord R’ from Rohde Nielsen A/S and ‘DC Orisant’ from Reimerswaal Dredging in operation just outside the windows of our port office. And not a single day has passed when we have not thought how positive the historic dredging of the approach to the Port of Thyboron in Thyboron Canal will be for the port’s users in future, and for both the fishing industry and the cargo and offshore industries.

2021 will be a key milestone in the Port of Thyboron’s historical timeline from now on and far into the future.