Parliamentary breakfast in Berlin
Not letting the energy transition get stuck in a traffic jam
At the parliamentary breakfast in Berlin, the West Coast Regional Cooperation Group made it clear why the west coast urgently needs more efficient roads, railways and waterways. A transport analysis provides reliable data.
The Energieküste has sent a strong signal in Berlin: at the parliamentary breakfast organised by the West Coast Regional Cooperation at the Schleswig-Holstein State Representation on 5th May 2026, around 60 representatives from the Bundestag, embassies, the business community, local authorities and associations gathered to discuss the future of transport infrastructure on Schleswig-Holstein’s west coast. Part of the programme was the ‘Future Talk’ entitled ‘Between a renovation backlog and a vision for the future’, during which transport and logistics experts from Schleswig-Holstein examined the infrastructural challenges facing the west coast.
We need to reach out to the members of the Transport Committee, because that is where decisions on infrastructure are made!
Transport analysis: What investments does the west coast need?
The focus was on a question of central importance for the entire region: How can one of Germany’s most important energy and economic regions be connected in such a way that it remains efficient and competitive in the future? For as a pioneer of the energy transition, the west coast already plays a central role in renewable energy supply, as well as in industry, tourism and as a hub between Scandinavia and Germany.
We want to be a model region for the whole of Germany. And for that, we need support.
To ensure that these functions can continue to be fulfilled and expanded in the future, more than good intentions are needed: namely, a sustainable transport infrastructure and validated decision-making bases. This is precisely where a recent transport analysis comes in, commissioned by the West Coast Regional Cooperation from the planning consultancy Ramboll Germany. More than 400 businesses on the west coast were surveyed in spring 2026. The study provides regional data to justify urgent federal investment in our region.
As regards rail, the focus is on the electrification of the Marschbahn and, in particular, the connection to Brunsbüttel harbour.
Whether it is the A20 with a fixed crossing over the Elbe near Glückstadt, the further development of the B5 or efficient harbour connections: the Energieküste is united in its call for infrastructure that keeps pace with its dynamic development. With the ‘West Coast Declaration’ and their joint appearance in Berlin, the partners are underlining their solidarity. The full results of the transport economics analysis are due to be presented at the end of October 2026.
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