Green before it was trendy: Port of Aalborg launches major projects

Studies continue to show that climate and environmental issues are some of the most important topics for Danes of all ages.

These are crucial themes when we cast our votes, but in the business world, we also expect companies to do their part in contributing to a greener future.

For Port of Aalborg, one of Denmark’s largest commercial harbors, environmental responsibility is at the heart of their operations.

Historically, a harbor’s role has been to deliver what society demands, and while it was once flat-screen TVs and other material goods, it is now the responsibility of the green transition.

CEO Kristian Thulesen Dahl insists that Port of Aalborg must be ambitious about climate issues, both now and in the future, and that it should be a company that the people of Aalborg can be proud of.

These ambitions are something we’ll hear more about, which is why we’ve made the journey east along the Limfjord to speak with those driving the green development of one of Aalborg’s key industries.

Making a Global Impact

Kristian Thulesen Dahl’s office is located at Langerak 19 in the harbor’s administrative building.

Here, we sit down with coffee in hand, overlooking the busy harbor, where workers in neon-yellow safety vests walk among massive wind turbine blades.

Joining the interview is Brian Dalby Rasmussen, the environmental coordinator and engineer at Port of Aalborg. He is responsible for the harbor’s environmental improvement projects, and it’s clear from the start that for him, work and hobby blend seamlessly.

Although one speaks from a strategic perspective and the other describes himself as a self-proclaimed “tech geek,” both share a strong passion for their shared goal of a green and visionary harbor.

“It’s always been a focus for us to run a tight ship because many of the things we deal with have an environmental footprint,” says Brian firmly.

“We’ve become much more systematic about it over the years,” he adds.

Kristian chimes in, noting that while they’ve accelerated their efforts in recent years, Port of Aalborg deserves credit for having long been a pioneer in Denmark’s green transition.

“The harbor has actually been involved in creating green businesses before it became trendy to talk about being green. In the sense that we ensured goods could be shipped instead of transported by truck.

Calculations show that you can save 70-80% of CO2 emissions if goods are shipped from Hamburg to Aalborg instead of being driven,” explains Kristian.

Port of Aalborg’s early adoption of a greener mindset has also given them a competitive edge.

“When we meet with customers, we can offer them greener transport options, and we can offer them storage space at the harbor,” says the CEO, pointing to a large map of the harbor area on his wall.

That map has grown significantly after Port of Aalborg purchased half a million square meters of land from Aalborg Portland last year to expand their business park.

This massive area is currently being transformed into a production site for Siemens Gamesa, one of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies.

Last year, large space was also cleared for CS WIND Offshore, which needed more room to produce gigantic transformer stations for some of the world’s largest wind farms in the USA.

With such major green players setting up shop in Aalborg, it’s no exaggeration to say that Port of Aalborg is making a global impact.

“That’s one of the reasons why we’re growing in Aalborg. We find the land for green companies so they can do what they do best,” Kristian emphasizes.

Green Fuel for Land, Sea, and Air

Although sustainability has long been part of Port of Aalborg’s DNA, it doesn’t mean they are resting on their laurels.

On the contrary, work is being done every day to find new solutions to transition the harbor to CO2-neutral operations and help partners and customers develop greener processes.

One of the biggest and potentially most revolutionary projects underway is the development of green fuels.

“Fidelis New Energy has leased 270,000 square meters of land to create a storage facility that will capture 4 million tons of CO2 per year.

We also have a partnership with Aalborg University, which has moved its PtX test facility to our harbor. Their research is focused on converting CO2 into, for example, hydrogen and e-methanol, which can be used as green fuel for trucks, ships, and airplanes.

So, we’re linking the university’s research with companies working on green fuels to scale it up,” Brian explains with clear enthusiasm.

It’s an exciting topic that could be discussed in much more technical detail, but fortunately, Brian knows he’s speaking to a layman during this interview.

Here’s another interesting twist in the story of Port of Aalborg:

You don’t necessarily need to be technically gifted or an engineer like Brian, nor have maritime expertise, to build a career at the East Harbor – even if you want to influence the climate strategy.

Among the more than 100 employees who report to work at Langerak every day are controllers, lawyers, economists, real estate agents, sales consultants, IT developers, and much more.

“When we work on all of this regarding the green transition, it’s not because we have one office that’s responsible for driving the development, and then they have to go out and convince other departments it’s a good idea.

No, it’s actually woven into all of us. It’s completely natural for the person working on the quay extension or the person behind the desk to constantly ask, ‘How can we optimize?’” Kristian rhetorically asks.

More practical examples include reusing a discarded bike shed from a demolition company, using eco-labeled cleaning products, electric vehicles, waste sorting, and using deposit funds to purchase land that is restored and preserved as a nature area for the future.

Even the small things are thoughtfully considered here.

Space for All Ideas

As the director of the company, it’s important for Kristian that Port of Aalborg reaches its strategic goals, but it’s just as important to him that this happens in collaboration with all employees – that everyone pulls in the same direction.

This collaborative spirit is cultivated, among other ways, by holding employee workshops several times a year.

“Regardless of where you work, you should be able to see how you contribute to the success of our climate strategy.

We held a couple of workshops last year, where we gathered employees from across the organization to brainstorm.

Even if you were sitting in a specific part of the company, you could contribute ideas on how to do things in other departments.

It’s incredibly exciting, I think, because then you get many different ideas on the table, and I believe the individual employee actually feels heard, whether it’s about dish towels or the development of large new spaces,” concludes Kristian.

The employees agree with that statement.

When we last visited East Harbor to interview some of the many employees, Mette Kromann Mandrup, who handles the entire infrastructure portfolio on land, said she really appreciated Port of Aalborg’s commitment.

“I’ve worked at several other workplaces where they say they are sustainable.

But this is the first place where they actually do what they say, and I’m pretty proud to be part of that,” said the project leader.

Employees Who Stick Around

The green transition of society is undoubtedly a multi-billion-dollar industry, and an area where development is happening at lightning speed.

Great circumstances for a tech geek like Brian, who loves to learn new things, but also for the rest of the employees.

“We are really a group of highly specialized people in many different fields, and therefore we also have a big responsibility because we might be the only ones who know something about that specific area.

So, you get a lot of responsibility, but also an obligation to nerd out, an obligation to develop and keep up. And still, you have to figure out how to make the whole company move in a greener direction,” Brian elaborates.

That’s why Port of Aalborg also insists that their employees have people to bounce ideas off of, for example, in research and business networks both in Denmark and abroad.

It’s undoubtedly some of the many opportunities that make employees stick around.

“There are many new faces, but also many with years of experience. So much new stuff is happening all the time, right?” says Brian, looking at Kristian, who nods.

An hour has passed, and both of the busy gentlemen need to head to meetings. One in a blazer, the other in a yellow safety jacket.

Contrasts are abundant at Port of Aalborg, but the most evident is the shared spirit and the genuine desire to leave the world a better place.

It’s best summed up by their motto: Gate to Great.

You can read more about Port of Aalborg as an employer and check out available job positions here.