Maersk seeks temporary injunction against Aarhus Port over operational disputes in Denmark

Disagreements with Aarhus Port have prompted A.P. Moller-Maersk to seek a temporary injunction from the City Court of Aarhus against the port. Maersk confirmed to local media that they are pursuing legal action in a dispute concerning which companies may operate at Aarhus Port in the future.

According to Maersk, the port has not been sufficiently transparent during the decision-making process. Caroline Pontoppidan, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Maersk, commented that she believes the proceedings have not adhered to good governance principles. “It is fundamentally important that there is transparency and integrity in public administration. Maersk has repeatedly sought dialogue with Aarhus Port on this issue, but despite our efforts, we have unfortunately not succeeded. Therefore, we have chosen to pursue legal action to clarify the situation,” Pontoppidan stated.

Aarhus Port has also declined to provide an interview. In an email, the port’s director, Thomas Haber Borch, indicated that the conflict centers on the contents of an agreement made between Aarhus Port and APM Terminals in 2020. “There is a disagreement regarding the interpretation of a Memorandum of Understanding established between Aarhus Port and APM Terminals. APM Terminals wishes this issue to be resolved by the court. It is never favorable to be in conflict with a customer, but such situations sometimes occur in business,” the port director remarked.

Additionally, he declined to disclose further information about the port’s communications with its clients, citing respect for the businesses operating at the port. A temporary injunction allows citizens and companies claiming their rights have been violated to quickly seek a court order to halt the infringing actions, such as stopping the publication of a book containing confidential information.