German North Sea and Baltic Sea: Offshore wind farms – entry strictly prohibited

The density of offshore wind farms is steadily increasing – including in Germany. In the German Bight in particular, there are already large contiguous areas with turbines that are either operational, under construction or at least at the planning stage.

Exceptions are now a thing of the past

As far as navigating through offshore wind farms is concerned, the rules are not standardised internationally. Within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), the respective coastal states are responsible. Even here in Germany, there have recently been differing regulations: whilst navigation through most offshore wind farms was already prohibited, there were nevertheless Exceptions in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

That is now a thing of the past: these remaining gaps have also been filled. Updated orders relating to the relevant annexes were published in several issues of the *News for Seafarers* (NfS) by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) during 2025.

The offshore wind farms affected

Within the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the North Sea, this concerns the offshore wind farms “Nordsee Ost”, “Dan Tysk”, “Meerwind Süd/Ost” and “Butendiek”. In addition, there are the projects currently under construction: “Borkum Riffgrund 3”, “NC 1”, “NC 2” and “He Dreiht”.

In the Baltic Sea, the projects “EnBW Baltic 1”, “EnBW Baltic 2”, “Wikinger” and “Arkona-Becken Südost” are affected, as well as the offshore wind farm “Windanker”, which is still at the planning stage. An overview of all notices to mariners for the year 2025 can be found online on the relevant page of the BSH.

Safe shipping as a justification

The reason given throughout is generally “maritime safety”. However, the measure could also be a response to the increasing number of hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure and the general threat situation in the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Accordingly, the restricted areas – including those of the offshore wind farms mentioned – may now only be entered by vessels “used for research, construction, maintenance or supply purposes” – or “for salvage and rescue purposes.”