Insight
Insight
For international companies looking to serve clients across Northern Europe, Denmark offers a strategic location as well as world-class infrastructure, which enables businesses to reach customers faster, strengthen supply chains and grow across the Nordic region and the wider European market.
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Denmark's excellent infrastructure and role as key logistic hub performance is recognised internationally. In the latest IMD Global Competitiveness Yearbook 2026, Denmark ranked second-best globally on the measure that assesses whether "the distribution infrastructure of goods and services is generally efficient".
Among the Nordic countries, Denmark significantly outperforms its neighbours on this indicator, with Finland (#25), Sweden (#28) and Norway (#38) ranking much lower among 70 countries included in the ranking from around the world.
These rankings illustrate why Denmark is an excellent choice as a base for a distribution or service centre that can cover the Nordic and Northern Europe markets.
Denmark occupies a unique position between the Nordic countries and mainland Europe, making it a natural gateway for regional trade and distribution. From a Danish base, companies can efficiently serve customers across Scandinavia, Germany and the rest of Europe through an integrated transport network spanning road, rail, sea and air.
Copenhagen Airport is the largest airport in the Nordic region by passengers per year and also serves as a Scandinavia’s leading air freight hub. In 2024, it handled 199,000 tonnes of air cargo, ahead of Oslo Gardermoen Airport (194,000 tonnes), Helsinki Airport (182,000 tonnes) and Stockholm Arlanda Airport (91,000 tonnes). The airport also offers direct flights to 199 destinations across 57 countries, served by 62 airlines, providing excellent access to business travels.
The Port of Aarhus, Denmark’s largest commercial port, handled a record 844,000 containers in 2025, reinforcing its position as one of the leading container ports in the Baltic region. Among Scandinavian ports, only the Port of Gothenburg handled a higher volume during the year.
Key infrastructure connections reinforce Denmark’s strategic position. The Øresund Bridge links Denmark directly with Sweden by both road and rail, while the Great Belt bridge/Fixed Link provides fast and efficient east-west connections across Denmark. The upcoming Fehmarnbelt bridge/Fixed Link will further strengthen connections between Scandinavia and continental Europe, reducing transport times and increasing capacity for freight moving between Denmark and Germany.
Denmark's advantages extend beyond physical infrastructure. As part of the European Union’s Single Market, Denmark also provides tariff-free access to the other 26 EU member states, enabling businesses to trade freely across one of the world's largest integrated markets without import or export duties between EU member states.
The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook evaluates 70 economies on their ability to create and sustain a competitive business environment. The rankings combine statistical indicators with surveys of business executives. One of these indicators, shown above, is the assessment among business executives of whether their country's distribution infrastructure for goods and services is generally efficient.
Whether you're planning a European distribution centre, expanding your logistics network or exploring new opportunities in Northern Europe, Invest in Denmark can help. Our experts provide free, confidential advice on everything from location selection and market insights to connecting you with the right partners.
Get in touch with our logistics experts to explore how Denmark can support your business growth.
Title: Team Leader - Analysis & Partnership
Area: Copenhagen
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +4533921093
Title: Special Advisor - Analysis & Partnerships
Area: Copenhagen
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +4533921639
Title: Special Advisor - Logistics, Distribution & Production
Area: Kolding
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +45 5144 8613
