Militarization | Warworthy ports

NATO hub Bremerhaven: The port already acts as a central hub for the transshipment of US military goods. Its military capacities are to be massively expanded again. Photo: IMAGO / diebildwerft The so-called Operational Plan for Germany (OPLAN) plans and practices in peacetime how up to 800,000 soldiers and their equipment can be transported to Russia's borders as quickly as possible in an emergency. The military “upgrading” of the infrastructure plays a crucial role, which is why considerable sums are now being spent on this – from the EU budget, the defense budget and the special infrastructure fund. Not only the road and rail network is affected, but also the ports. This can be seen, among other things, in the plans for Bremerhaven.

At the EU level, a separate budget line with 1.69 billion euros was announced for the first time in the current budget for 2021 to 2027 for “military mobility”. If the EU Commission has its way, this amount should be increased approximately tenfold to 17 billion euros in the next EU budget from 2028 to 2034. This is what you can read in their proposal for the framework budget of July 16th.

There is also national infrastructure money: for 2026, the German defense budget in title group 05 (“Expenditure and investments for defense-relevant federal transport infrastructure”) has earmarked 1.83 billion euros. This amount rises sharply in the draft for 2027, which is due to the fact that significant funds were moved from the “Special Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality Fund” (SVIK) to the defense budget.

According to the federal government's draft budget for 2027, significant funds from the "Special Fund for Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality" (SVIK) are to be moved to the defense budget.

It was clear from the start that money would also be diverted from the special infrastructure fund for military training. The justification for the draft law for its creation through an amendment to the Basic Law already stated: “Infrastructure is also an essential, quasi-complementary factor in connection with the desired very rapid and comprehensive improvement of defense capabilities. The actual ability to bring a significantly increased defense potential to bear depends on the availability of a developed, functional and modern infrastructure, e.g. B. in the transport sector.

For a long time, however, it was unclear what sums would be involved. Now that is slowly changing. The draft budget for 2027 stipulates that around four billion euros are to be diverted from the special infrastructure fund to the defense budget. In total, six billion euros are available for “defense-relevant transport infrastructure”.

A total of 23.7 billion euros are to be made available for the transport sector from the special infrastructure fund in 2027. The four billion for military infrastructure makes up 17 percent of it.

In times when public spending is being drastically cut in all but one area, the military budget is often the only way to access funds - the ports are no exception. The “Central Association of German Seaport Companies” (ZDS) estimated the financial requirement for the military upgrade of the ports at an additional three billion euros: “Without resilient ports, there is no credible turning point. We now need a strong signal from the federal government that it takes the ports seriously as system-relevant infrastructure - and acts accordingly," demanded ZDS Managing Director Florian Keisinger in the summer of 2025.

1.35 billion euros were then approved from the defense budget for the expansion of the port of Bremerhaven. A further 212 million euros are to come from the state of Bremen. This emerges from the declaration of intent to create a so-called deployment hub, i.e. an “operations hub”, signed on September 29th by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (both SPD) as well as the CEO of the implementing BLG Logistics Group, Matthias Magnor. Of the federal funds, 160 million euros are earmarked for the military expansion of Bremen Airport.

According to the dpa news agency, more than 40 measures are planned for the military expansion of the port infrastructure in Bremerhaven. Among other things, a new heavy-duty bridge and several heavy-duty areas in the port, a connecting canal with a swing bridge and various inland quays in the Kaiserhafen are to be built and upgraded. In addition, harbor basins are to be deepened and roads and rail connections expanded. At Bremen Airport, the aim is also to make the area suitable for heavy loads.

»In plain language, it's about the implementation of the Germany operational plan. Tens of thousands of soldiers need accommodation and food. Machines and equipment must be maintained and operated accordingly.«

Bremen's mayor Andreas Bovenschulte celebrated that the investments were "by far the highest funding that the federal government has ever provided for a project in the state of Bremen." However, the joint press release from those involved in the declaration of intent leaves no doubt that the investments are being made from a purely military perspective. With the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed on September 29, "all parties involved confirm that they will provide the necessary capacities and capabilities to meet NATO's demands and the needs set out in the Germany operational plan," it says. The most important thing is to renew or expand the existing infrastructure as well as “the functionally related hinterland connection to the port for specific military needs.”

Defense Minister Pistorius was even clearer at the meeting in Bremen. “In plain language, it's about implementing the operational plan,” he said, adding: “Tens of thousands of soldiers need accommodation and food. Machines and equipment must be maintained and operated accordingly." This means that Bremen will soon be able to "enjoy" maneuvers similar to the Red Storm exercises in Hamburg, in which the landing and forwarding of tens of thousands of soldiers and their equipment was rehearsed - including how to deal with protests.

In addition to the military expansion of Bremerhaven and the operation of Wilhelmshaven, there has long been speculation about the construction of another North Sea port. It now seems clear that Emden will win the race here.

On September 29, dpa reported that the Navy needed an area of ​​40 hectares there, with an option for another ten hectares. The new naval port should offer berths for seven frigates, ten minesweepers and ten tugs. A four-digit number of soldiers and civilian employees will work there in the future. To date, there is only one naval port on the North Sea, Wilhelmshaven. According to information from dpa and NDR, the project will probably be officially announced this Monday.

According to the state-owned port infrastructure company Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts), the port of Emden has the largest unused space potential of all ports in Lower Saxony. The so-called Rysumer Neck, a port expansion area on the Ems west of the seaport city and owned by the state, is considered a suitable area, reports dpa.

The next steps will be announced during a visit by Defense Minister Pistorius to Emden on October 5th. Together with Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies (SPD), Pistorius wanted to "explain the next steps regarding a possible new naval base," the "Spiegel" quotes an invitation from the State Chancellery in Hanover. The new Navy Inspector, Vice Admiral Wilhelm Tobias Abry, and Emden's First City Councilor Horst Jahnke (SPD) will also be present.

The military upgrading of the port area is in full swing. How much money will be sunk into Emden for this is currently unclear. However, the sums planned for Bremerhaven should easily be exceeded.

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