APM Terminals highlights Danish port role in NATO Host Nation Support

Kalundborg, Denmark (Ports Europe) June 26, 2026 – APM Terminals has published a statement setting out the role of its Danish terminals in supporting NATO’s Host Nation Support framework, describing port infrastructure as a critical link in European military mobility and supply security. The company said its terminals in Aarhus and Kalundborg are involved in the reception, handling and staging of military equipment for NATO and allied forces operating through Denmark. The statement followed a conference in Aarhus at which representatives from academia, the Danish defence partnership organisation InterForce, and the private sector discussed how Denmark could strengthen preparedness under a deteriorating European security environment. Ports as operational nodes in national defence “In a crisis situation, the ability to maintain operations and support authorities becomes critical,” said Mikael Gutman, CEO of APM Terminals Nordic. The company said the same capabilities that underpin commercial throughput — operational reliability, capacity management and coordination — are what make terminals useful in a defence context. APM Terminals described Host Nation Support as dependent on close collaboration between civilian infrastructure operators, the armed forces and government authorities. The Aarhus conference, where the company participated, focused on translating defence strategy into operational practice rather than remaining at the level of policy. InterForce and private-sector integration APM Terminals said it holds membership of InterForce, the Danish programme that connects the armed forces with civilian employers. Through that membership, the company said it contributes to building relationships and tested capabilities between the defence and commercial sectors. “Collaboration between industry, defence and academia is essential,” Gutman said. “The focus now is on making it operational.” The statement positions APM Terminals’ involvement not as separate from its commercial function but as an extension of it. The company argued that the resilience required for military purposes — the ability to keep operations running under pressure — is the same resilience its commercial customers depend on. Broader European context The publication comes as European ports are under increasing scrutiny for their dual role as commercial hubs and strategic infrastructure. APM Terminals said its Danish operations form part of a wider effort to strengthen resilience across the continent. The company did not disclose specific volumes of military equipment handled or the scope of its Host Nation Support commitments. APM Terminals, the terminal arm of A.P. Møller–Maersk, operates at Aarhus — Denmark’s second largest port — as well as at Kalundborg, the only deep-water container terminal serving the Zealand capital area. Ports across northern Europe have faced growing pressure to formalise their role in defence logistics since the publication of Germany’s classified Operationsplan Deutschland , which identified seaports as essential to NATO troop and equipment movements in the event of a conflict on NATO’s eastern flank. Can EU and NATO deny Russia access to the Baltic Sea? Germany & NATO allies step up Baltic sea mine cooperation as port access risk grows © Ports Europe. All Rights Reserved. 2026. [email protected]