EU prepares large-scale modernization of ports for potential war with Russia

It is an investment of up to €75 billion, which will be the largest such project since World War II, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Although the preparations are of a defensive nature, the EU emphasizes that the project will also benefit in peacetime, as roads, railways, digital infrastructure, and communication systems will be modernized.

Modernization work has already begun in the ports of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Romania, and they are being adapted to quickly receive NATO troops and equipment in the event of a crisis.

Currently, NATO member states are not only increasing spending on armaments, but also including funding for transportation hubs and strategic infrastructure in their military budgets.

At the same time, some shipping company executives have expressed concern that the reorientation of ports to military needs could reduce their competitiveness in the civilian sector.

The European Commission has proposed investing up to €75 billion in military mobility in the next five-year budget. This is ten times more than the €1.7 billion allocated in the current budget process until 2027.

“The ability to move troops and equipment quickly across Europe is critical for security,” said Apóstolos Tzitzikóstas, European Commissioner for Transport. Security was a central topic of the recent meeting of the European Sea Ports Organisation.

“We understand the need for these changes, but they should not compromise economic efficiency,” said Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, Vice President of Finance at the Port of Gdynia (Poland). She also noted that private investors are afraid of investing in projects that could be targeted by Russian attacks.

NATO and the European Commission have already identified 500 critical infrastructure facilities in the EU that need to be modernized in the face of a possible confrontation with Russia. According to knowledgeable sources, these are roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, and ports – everything that ensures rapid military movement.

Recently, the European Commission published a new policy document, the White Paper for European Defense, which identified key security challenges facing the EU and the ways to overcome them.

Source: Militarnyi