Scandlines Cuts First Sod for New Super Port in Gedser, Denmark

Scandlines got out the golden spades when cutting the first sod for the future super port on friday. The port will be tailored for the Scandlines ferries ”Copenhagen” and ”Berlin” which will be handling the line Gedser-Rostock from 2012. Among the speakers was the Chairman of the Transport Committee, Flemming Damgaard Larsen, who emphasised Scandlines’ visions for the eastern corridor and the Danish ferry service in general.

Only the best is good enough for the coming super ferries ”Berlin” and ”Copenhagen” which from 2012 will raise the capacity and the experience on board the service Gedser- Rostock. Scandlines therefore invests considerably in a new tailor-made harbour in Gedser as part of the ambitious plans for a new logistic eastern corridor. Accompanied by music from the railway orchestra, Scandlines CEO Bengt Pihl, Line Manager Steen Wæver and 1. Vice Mayor from Guldborgsund Flemming Jantzen as well as Chairman of the Transport Committee Flemming Damgaard Larsen officially cut the first sod this afternoon.

While welcoming the many guests, Bengt Pihl underlined the visions of the ferry company for the European infrastructure with a total investment of DKK 1.7 billion in ferries and harbour. ”With the harbour expansion and the two new super ferries, Scandlines invests considerably in the future. We do so because we believe that Scandlines is a natural and crucial player in the vision for a logistic eastern corridor throughout the entire EU – for the tourism as for the freight”, states Bengt Pihl, CEO of Scandlines.

In his speech, Bengt Pihl also thanked the many business partners who will contribute to create the harbour of the future in Gedser. Among these is the municipality of Guldborgsund; 1. Vice Mayor expressed his enthusiasm for the construction. ”There is no doubt that this will also mean a lot to the surrounding area with more tourists and more freight to Gedser. It will also impact a number of businesses positively and in the long run contribute to the employment in the entire region,” Flemming Jantzen said.

The last one on the podium was Flemming Damgaard Larsen who came from the parliament to support the big investments of Scandlines and to put the ambitious project into perspective. ”The extensive harbour and the two new super ferries link Denmark and the Nordic countries closer together with Berlin and the rest of Europe. The initiative eases everyday life for the society as for the business world and is an important step in the right direction,” said Flemming Damgaard Larsen, Chairman of the Transport Committee.

Although the traffic to the port area probably will increase, Scandlines expects citizens and animal life to be only positively affected by the expansions in Gedser. In a partnership with the municipality and the Danish environmental preservation organisation (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening) et.al., the ferry company has for example ensured that a bypassroad as well as special amphibian fences around the port area are included in the General Plan for Gedser.

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Source: scandlines, August 30, 2011;