The Danish pensions industry is ready to invest in commercial ports in the country through “properly designed” financing models, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and blended finance, Insurance and Pension Denmark (I&P Denmark) has said.

In a statement responding to the Partnership for Commercial Ports’ recommendations for ports, I&P Denmark said the pensions industry is “ready with capital” so that the ports can become an active player in the green transition and development of the maritime industry.

I&P Denmark director of pensions, Jan V. Hansen, commented: “The pension industry agrees with the recommendations and the role that the industry investments are intended for in future-proofing the commercial ports.

“Properly designed, financing models such as PPP and blended finance can make it attractive for pension companies to invest in the ports. This is not a new role, as pension companies are already investing in Fredericia and the Port of Esbjerg – in logistics and in the green transition.”

The recommendations state that in order to ensure the necessary investments, it is crucial that commercial ports are included in a Danish green industrial policy. The level of ambition must both reflect the Danish and Northern European expansion plans for offshore wind and make it attractive to locate production in Denmark. However, as the necessary investments are large and long-term, it requires predictability and a clear framework.

“The partnership concludes that the investment framework within offshore wind and other green technologies is not good enough to attract the investments. This is due to late offshore wind tenders in both Denmark and the rest of Europe, and that decisions on infrastructure such as pipelines for hydrogen and CO2 are still pending. Commercial investors, such as the pension industry, must therefore have a more secure basis for decision-making by the government presenting a plan for the development after 2030 in offshore wind,” Hansen said.

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