Eemshaven Airfield

The facility was a temporary heliport, not a fixed-wing airfield, established primarily for a specific large-scale project. It was closed for economic and logistical reasons after the main construction phase of the Gemini offshore wind farm was completed. The primary operator, CHC Helicopters, found it more efficient to consolidate its long-term maintenance flight operations back to its main Dutch offshore base at Den Helder Airport (EHKD). The closure was a planned phase-out rather than an abrupt event.

The site is currently inactive as an aviation facility. The physical infrastructure, including the concrete helipad and the adjacent office/terminal building, largely remains intact. However, it is no longer used for flight operations. The land is part of the greater Eemshaven industrial port area, managed by Groningen Seaports, and has been repurposed for ground-based logistical or storage activities supporting other port functions.

The site operated as Heliport Eemshaven (with the official ICAO code EHHE; NL-0071 is a non-standard designator). Its historical significance, from approximately 2015 to 2018, was its role as a critical logistics hub for the construction of major offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Most notably, it served as the primary helicopter base for the construction of the 600 MW Gemini Windpark, one of the world's largest at the time. Operations consisted of helicopter flights, such as the AgustaWestland AW139, transporting personnel and light equipment to and from the offshore construction sites. It proved the strategic value of Eemshaven as a support port for the offshore energy sector.

There are strong and active prospects for the re-establishment of a heliport in Eemshaven. Due to the massive expansion of offshore wind energy in the Dutch and German sectors of the North Sea, there is a recognized need for a permanent helicopter base in Eemshaven to support long-term operation and maintenance (O&M) activities. The port authority, Groningen Seaports, along with regional and national government bodies, are actively studying and planning for the development of a new, permanent heliport. While the original site is a potential candidate, other locations within the Eemshaven port area are also being evaluated to find the optimal location for a modern, permanent facility.