On Thursday, October 24th, many key stakeholders in climate transition and wind energy will gather at Odense Port to find solutions on how the ambitious green transition goals in Europe can also unlock the potential of European industrial production.

This event will bring together climate and energy ministers from the countries around the North Sea, the EU's Energy Commissioner, and a broad range of international leaders from the wind industry. Last year, the North Sea cooperation countries signed a declaration with a goal of at least 120 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and at least 300 GW of offshore wind in the North Sea by 2050, equivalent to around 20,000 offshore wind turbines.

From Shipyard to Wind Power

If ambitions are met, it will be a significant contribution to Europe's green transition and energy security. At Odense Port, participants will focus on how the transformation of European industry can be organized to best support the production of offshore wind, benefiting job creation, energy security, and the green transition in Europe. A transformation that is already underway at Odense Port.

Odense Port is located in Munkebo, north of Odense, on the same site where the former Odense Steel Shipyard, better known as the Lindø Shipyard, was situated. For decades, Lindø Shipyard was one of Denmark’s industrial pride points, employing thousands of skilled workers.

When, in the wake of the 2009 financial crisis, it was announced that the Lindø Shipyard was to close, 2,700 people were employed in traditional shipbuilding in Munkebo. Like many other Europeans, they witnessed their jobs move to other parts of the world.

However, following the closure of the Lindø Shipyard, new business activities emerged, where unemployed shipyard workers were offered retraining with support from the EU. At the same time, Danish and European politicians set a new course with a vision to create a hub for technological development in offshore wind at the former Lindø Shipyard. Odense Port, owned by the Municipality of Odense, later purchased the former shipyard, setting the course for its development into what is now Denmark's largest production port for offshore wind and the daily workplace for more than 3,200 people.

“Odense Port's development from a decommissioned shipyard to a leading production port within offshore wind is the result of bold and visionary decisions. It is a textbook example of how the green transition is an opportunity to transform Europe's industry and, in doing so, create thousands of new jobs. Therefore, my ambition is also to create 30,000 new private sector jobs in Odense over the next decade. Here, the continued development of Odense Port as a center for the production of ever-larger offshore wind turbines will play a key role," says Peter Rahbæk Juel, Mayor of Odense and Vice Chairman of the Board of Odense Port.

Denmark can become a crucial player in achieving the goal of installing 20,000 offshore wind turbines in the North Sea, with many of the components for these turbines potentially being manufactured at Odense Port.

"We are, of course, very pleased to have been entrusted with the task of facilitating the upcoming North Sea Summit. Here at Odense Port, we demonstrate how a former shipyard can be transformed into a modern production port and a hub for wind energy production that supports the green transition and energy security in Europe. It may seem odd that a port not directly facing the North Sea is hosting the North Sea Summit, but Odense Port is an excellent example of how offshore wind turbine production can drive change in many different areas across Europe if approached correctly. We hope that our guests will find inspiration in the surroundings and the vision behind it as a model to follow," says Carsten Aa, CEO of Odense Port A/S.