Germany to build new naval base in Emden

Germany is planning to build a new naval base in the northwestern city of Emden amid a worsening international security environment, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday.

"This is significant for us, because it will be a major naval base," Pistorius said during a ceremony in Emden, where top officials signed a letter of intent for the base.

"From here we can quickly reach the North Atlantic and the North Sea," he said.

“The strategic location is also crucial - particularly with regard to our NATO allies, our shared training and operational areas, as well as joint training activities,” he added.

The new base will be Germany's fifth major naval base and is expected to ease the load on Wilhelmshaven, now the navy's most important site on the North Sea.

Defense Ministry sources said Wilhelmshaven will remain central, and the Emden base will complement it.

Pistorius said Germany has decided to expand its navy in response to rising international threats and a worsening security environment and to meet its commitments to NATO deterrence.

"We currently have the smallest navy in the history of the Bundeswehr, and at the same time the largest and most extensive set of tasks. So the navy must grow, and it will," he said.

"Given the current international security situation, especially with a view to the Baltic Sea, but above all the North Sea and the North Atlantic, this is of decisive importance, because with it we increase the deterrence of Germany and NATO," he said.

The planned naval base is expected to be a multibillion-euro investment, according to media reports. It is supposed to reach full operational readiness in 2030, and the site could eventually be home to up to 2,000 military and civilian personnel.