Energy Port IJmuiden: a key link in the energy transition Back

Energy Port IJmuiden: a key link in the energy transition

  • 10 March 2026

To meet national climate ambitions, 21 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity must be installed by 2030, increasing to 70 GW by 2050. One of the major bottlenecks in achieving this ambition is the shortage of installation ports. Decisio has carried out a social cost‑benefit analysis (SCBA) for the Energy Port at IJmuiden. The results show that the Energy Port is an attractive location for an offshore installation port and represents a socially profitable investment.

Number of suitable ports for offshore wind installation is decreasing

Fewer and fewer ports are suitable for installing offshore wind farms because turbines continue to grow in size. While demand for installation ports is rising, investments across Europe are progressing slowly due to limited space, uncertainty about future wind farm locations, and lengthy procedures. As a result, a shortage of installation ports poses a serious risk to the pace of the energy transition and the achievement of climate targets.

Former Averijhaven sludge depot offers opportunities

The former Averijhaven near IJmuiden is a sludge depot owned by Rijkswaterstaat that is due to be decommissioned. It is one of the most favourably located sites in the Netherlands for installing future wind farms. Port of Amsterdam, Zeehaven IJmuiden, the municipality of Velsen and the Province of North Holland therefore see an opportunity to develop the depot into an installation port for offshore wind farms.

SCBA shows: investment in the Energy Port is socially profitable

Private investors are cautious about developing installation ports: wind farm installation is project‑based, the activity is relatively new, and contracts with wind farm developers can only be concluded once a port has actually been realised and it is known who will develop the wind farm. From a societal perspective, however, the investment in the Energy Port proves to be profitable. At present, only the Eemshaven in Groningen is suitable for installing the most modern wind farms, and this port has no room for expansion. The favourable location of the Energy Port compared with the Eemshaven means that savings in sailing time offset the expected financial shortfall. Accelerating the energy transition could generate even greater benefits, although these are difficult to quantify. The sooner the port is realised, the greater its contribution to the energy transition and the achievement of climate goals.

More information

Click here for the full report.

If you have any questions, please contact Menno de Pater (m.depater@decisio.nl) or Peter Haanen (p.haanen@decisio.nl). You can also reach us by phone at +31 (0)20 670 05 62.

Update: Based on the socio‑economic substantiation, the project has now entered the design phase. For the latest status of this project, see:                                                                                              https://www.noord-holland.nl/Onderwerpen/Klimaat_Energie/Projecten/Energiehaven

See also