DK Prefix and Three-Character Location Code
A UN/LOCODE such as DKAHS identifies Aarhus in Denmark. The first two characters identify the country or territory, while the final three characters identify the location.
Denmark has 185 ports and terminals indexed in the Ecer Freight database and serves as a strategic North European maritime gateway between the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and continental European markets.
Explore Danish port codes, principal cargo gateways, regional port clusters and indicative shipping connections for 2026 planning.
Denmark combines container, ro-ro, ferry, bulk, energy and project-cargo facilities across Jutland, Zealand, Funen and the Danish islands. The figures below distinguish Ecer Freight indexed coverage from official operational statistics.
How many seaports does Denmark have?
Denmark has 185 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in the Nov 2026 database snapshot. This is an indexed-coverage figure, not a national legal count of every harbour or berth.
Which is Denmark's largest or busiest container gateway?
Aarhus is generally regarded as Denmark's leading container gateway, while Copenhagen is a major multipurpose, cruise and regional logistics port. The corresponding indexed codes are DKAHS and DKCOP.
Which areas handle the main Danish cargo flows?
The main cargo regions are the Aarhus–Fredericia corridor, the Copenhagen and eastern Zealand gateway, North Jutland around Aalborg and Skagen, and western Jutland around Esbjerg.
The table follows the principal Danish ports represented in the supplied Ecer Freight sample. Denmark does not have a consistently published national league table that assigns comparable 2025 global ranks and TEU figures to every port, so unavailable fields are shown consistently as em dashes rather than estimated.
Selected Danish ports and indicative 2025 data availability
| World rank | Port | UN-LOCODE | 2025 throughput (M TEU) | YoY change | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Copenhagen | DKCOP | — | — | Eastern Zealand |
| — | Aarhus | DKAHS | — | — | Central Jutland |
| — | Aalborg | DKABG | — | — | North Jutland |
| — | Fredericia | DKFRE | — | — | South and Central Jutland |
| — | Nakskov | DKNKV | — | — | Lolland |
| — | Kalundborg | DKKAL | — | — | Western Zealand |
| — | Skagen | DKSKN | — | — | North Jutland |
| — | Esbjerg | DKESB | — | — | Western Jutland |
| — | Odense | DKODE | — | — | Funen |
| — | Vordingborg Sydhavnen | DKVBS | — | — | Southern Zealand |
Danish port selection depends on the cargo profile, inland delivery point, ferry or feeder schedule, draft requirements and the availability of equipment. The regional groupings below use the supplied port records.
Ports around Zealand support metropolitan distribution, Baltic connections, ro-ro activity, cruise calls and project cargo.
Ports in eastern and southern Zealand
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen | DKCOP | Copenhagen | Container, ro-ro, cruise and multipurpose cargo |
| Copenhagen | DKCPH | Copenhagen | City and terminal-level port record |
| Kalundborg | DKKAL | Kalundborg | Industrial, liquid bulk and multipurpose cargo |
| Vordingborg Sydhavnen | DKVBS | Vordingborg Sydhavnen | Bulk, project and regional cargo |
| Naestved | DKNAE | Naestved | Local bulk and general cargo |
| Koge | DKKOG | Koge | Regional distribution and general cargo |
The eastern Jutland corridor links Denmark's manufacturing base with container, energy, ferry, dry-bulk and project-cargo services.
Ports in central and southern Jutland
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aarhus | DKAHS | Aarhus | Container, ro-ro, bulk and multipurpose cargo |
| Fredericia | DKFRE | — | Energy, liquid bulk, dry bulk and industrial cargo |
| Fredericia | DKFRC | Fredericia | Terminal-level industrial and bulk cargo |
| Odense | DKODE | Odense | General, project and manufacturing-related cargo |
| Kolding | DKKOL | Kolding | Regional general cargo and distribution |
| Horsens | DKHOR | Horsens | Bulk, general and industrial cargo |
| Grenaa | DKGRE | Grenaa | Ferry, ro-ro, bulk and project cargo |
North Jutland ports support feeder, ferry, fishing, bulk, energy and short-sea flows through the Kattegat and Skagerrak approaches.
Ports in North Jutland
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aalborg | DKABG | Aalborg | Bulk, project, general and regional cargo |
| Aalborg | DKAAL | Aalborg | Terminal-level port and industrial cargo |
| Skagen | DKSKN | Skagen | Fishing, bunkering, bulk and short-sea cargo |
| Hirtshals | DKHIR | Hirtshals | Ferry, ro-ro, fish and short-sea cargo |
| Frederikshavn | DKFDH | Frederikshavn | Ferry, ro-ro, vehicle and general cargo |
| Randers | DKRAN | Randers | Bulk and inland-connected regional cargo |
Western and southern ports serve North Sea access, offshore supply, agriculture, energy, bulk and local manufacturing communities.
Ports in western Jutland, Funen and the southern islands
| Port | UN-LOCODE | City / Province | Main cargo role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esbjerg | DKESB | Esbjerg | Offshore, project, ro-ro and general cargo |
| Nakskov | DKNKV | Nakskov | Bulk, agricultural and regional cargo |
| Aabenraa | DKAAB | Aabenraa | Dry bulk, project and industrial cargo |
| Assens | DKASS | Assens | Local general and bulk cargo |
| Faaborg | DKFAA | Faaborg | Regional general and agricultural cargo |
| Rodbyhavn | DKROD | Rodbyhavn | Ferry and ro-ro cargo |
Danish port identifiers generally use the DK country prefix followed by a three-character location code. Always confirm the operational terminal, carrier booking code and customs details before shipment release.
A UN/LOCODE such as DKAHS identifies Aarhus in Denmark. The first two characters identify the country or territory, while the final three characters identify the location.
A city may appear more than once in a port directory where separate city-level, terminal-level or legacy records exist. Copenhagen, Aalborg and Fredericia illustrate why the exact code should be matched to the carrier booking instruction.
Compare the code against the UNECE UN/LOCODE framework and the Ecer Freight port directory. The shipping line, terminal operator and customs broker should confirm the final operational code.
Transit times depend on the carrier rotation, transshipment point, season, equipment availability, customs status and final delivery location. The following lanes are indicative rather than guaranteed sailing schedules.
A short-sea and feeder-oriented lane for industrial goods, retail cargo and regional distribution across the North Sea and Baltic markets.
Services connect Danish container and ro-ro gateways with British distribution centres, with routing dependent on the selected carrier network.
Longer services generally use North European hub ports and Mediterranean transshipment connections for machinery, food products and manufactured cargo.
Intercontinental cargo is commonly routed through major North European hubs before ocean carriage to Asian or North American gateways.
This page separates first-party indexed coverage from official statistics and operational estimates. Port selection reflects the supplied Ecer Freight sample, which is ordered by business activity and is not a legal register or a global TEU ranking.
Denmark has 185 seaports and terminals indexed by Ecer Freight in the Nov 2026 database snapshot. The figure represents indexed coverage and should not be interpreted as a statutory count of all Danish harbours.
Aarhus is generally Denmark's leading container gateway and is listed with the UN/LOCODE DKAHS. Copenhagen, coded DKCOP, is also an important multipurpose and regional logistics gateway.
The UN/LOCODE country prefix for Denmark is DK. Examples in the Ecer Freight directory include DKAHS for Aarhus, DKCOP for Copenhagen and DKABG for Aalborg.
The main clusters include eastern Zealand, central and southern Jutland, North Jutland, western Jutland and Funen. Cargo roles vary from containers and ro-ro to energy, bulk, offshore and project cargo.
No. The indexed count of 185 is an Ecer Freight database measure, while throughput and TEU figures are official or port-specific operational measures. They should not be mixed or treated as equivalent metrics.
The database snapshot was reviewed in Nov 2026, with 2025 treated as the most recent complete statistical year. Port schedules, terminal restrictions, rates and availability remain subject to confirmation at booking.
Shippers can compare available FCL sea freight rates or LCL sea freight rates. A firm quotation normally requires origin, destination, commodity, weight, dimensions, equipment and requested sailing date.
Editorial note: This Denmark port guide combines Ecer Freight's first-party port index with public maritime and statistical references. Indexed coverage is refreshed through database updates, while official throughput, TEU and infrastructure figures are reviewed against the latest available annual releases. Schedules, port calls, rates and terminal acceptance remain subject to confirmation.
Ecer Freight · Seaports in Denmark: Port Codes, Throughput & Regional Guide (2026) · Data reviewed quarterly · Port Codes · Ports by Country · Contact