Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial Sea (12 NM):
- North Sea: Approximately 12 100 km²
- Baltic Sea: Approximately 9 300 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone:
- North Sea: Approximately 28 500 km²
- Baltic Sea: approximately 4 500 km²
Technical resources related to MSP
- GeoSeaPortal
- Statusbericht zur Fortschreibung der Raumordnungs pläne für die deutsche ausschließliche Wirtschaftszone in der Nord- und Ostsee (Report on updating the spatial plans for the German exclusive economic zone in the North and Baltic Seas)
- Maritime Spatial Plan 2021 (Annex to the SpatialPlanning Ordinance for the German EEZ in North Sea and in the Baltic Sea, dated 19 August 2021
- Accompanying Document MSP 2021
- Environmental Report on the Spatial Plan for the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea
- Environmental Report on the Spatial Plan for the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the Baltic Sea
- Geoseaportal – Marine Uses
Relevant MSP projects
Current status of MSP
-
Federal States:
-
Federal Government:
Name of the plan |
Raumordnungsplan für die deutsche ausschließliche Wirtschaftszone in der Nordsee (2009) |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km²
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Completed |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
National |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Raumordnungs plan für die deutsche ausschließliche Wirtschafts zone in der Ostsee (2009) |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km²
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Completed |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
National |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Maritime Spatial Plan for the German EEZ in the NorthSea and the Baltic Sea |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2021 |
Size of planning area in km²
|
33,100 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Underway |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
National |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Zoning |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Legal statute |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Legally binding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Detailed allocation |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building |
Governmental funding |
The preparation of the MSP for the EEZ is funded by the Federal Government. |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area |
The MSP for the Exclusive Economic Zone: in the North Sea, approximately 28,500 km²; in the Baltic Sea, approximately 4,500 km². |
Time required to complete the planning document |
Two years (2019 – 2021) |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Renewable energy Shipping Blue economy Nature protection |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Public consultation (written comments, hearings) with public authorities, economic sectors, NGOs, general public, as well as specific sectoral thematic workshops |
Sectors included in planning |
Offshore renewables, shipping, nature conservation (and climate change mitigation), fisheries, resource extraction, cables and pipelines, blue economy, defense, tourism, cultural heritage |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
MSP is aligned with spatial plans of coastal federal states with the mandate for coastal zone management. Coastal stakeholders are involved during the consultation phase of the MSP preparation. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
MSP include the MPAs of the sectoral nature conservation planning. Further sensitive areas for nature protection are secured in the MSP. Regulation in the MSP included measures for nature protection. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
According to the Federal Spatial Planning Act, the preparation of the MSP is accompanied by a strategic environmental assessment to ensure the sustainability of human activities at sea. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
Designation of large areas of marine space for deployment of offshore wind energy in the German EEZ. |
Plan approval process |
The plan enters into force as an ordinance of the ministry responsible for spatial planning, then the Federal Cabinet adopts the ordinance. |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legally binding |
Plan review process |
Information gathering is ongoing for the prospective plan review. |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
M & E concept under development |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
North Seas Collaboration Group; Planners’ Forum(Baltic Sea); Shipping Group (North Sea) |
Legal framework
Federal Spatial Planning Act (ROG), as of 2008, amended in 2017 to include MSP, last amended in 2023
Contact
Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH)
Hanno Salecker – Head of Section Maritime Spatial Planning