Wilhelmshaven Naval Base (Heppenser Groden)

Marinestützpunkt Heppenser Groden is the German Navy's lead naval base and its largest, located among the Wilhelmshaven harbours on the Jade Bight in Lower Saxony. It covers about 292 hectares, of which 96 hectares are water.

The base is the seat of the Marinestützpunktkommando Wilhelmshaven and of Einsatzflottille 2, the flotilla controlling the Navy's frigates and support vessels. Parts of the Marineunterstützungskommando, including the former Kommando Marineführungssysteme, are stationed there, as are Protestant and Catholic military chaplaincy elements. Homeported units comprise frigates of the Brandenburg, Sachsen and Baden-Württemberg classes, Berlin-class combat support ships, the fleet tanker Rhön and Class 725 harbour tugs. Boats of the Lower Saxony water police and civilian tugs also lie in the outer harbour.

Beyond the fleet units, the site accommodates the Logistikzentrum der Bundeswehr Wilhelmshaven, the Sanitätsunterstützungszentrum, 4./Feldjägerbataillon 152, the Familienbetreuungszentrum, the Karrierecenter Wilhelmshaven, elements of the Bundeswehrdienstleistungszentrum, of the Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr and the Berufsförderungsdienst, together with detachments of the water police and of the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt Weser-Jade-Nordsee.

Berthing is provided in a tide-independent outer harbour entered through the locks of the Vierte Einfahrt, with quays supplemented by floating bridges. Maintenance of fleet units is carried out by the Marinearsenal, laid out from 1957 on the site of the former Kriegsmarine shipyard. Since 2011 the installations have belonged to the Bundesanstalt für Immobilienaufgaben, with the Bundeswehr as tenant. Rehabilitation of the quays, floating bridges and lock installations began in 2012 under a consortium of Strabag Wasserbau, Ludwig Voss and Ed. Züblin; the 1,200 m west quay was completed in autumn 2016 and work then moved to the 1,000 m east quay, berthing capacity being reduced during construction. A western extension begun in 2013 was required for the four F125-class frigates and their eight crews, adding four service and four accommodation buildings, a classroom block, a sports hall and a sea rescue training hall; the last work finished in 2024.

Wilhelmshaven became a naval port again in 1956 with the establishment of the Bundesmarine, the first volunteers reporting on 2 January and the first ships, minesweepers returned by the United States, arriving on 6 June. Reconstruction of the demolished Vierte Einfahrt included a new tide-independent outer harbour with an adjoining base. The new entrance opened on 4 October 1964, and the base on the Heppenser Groden was inaugurated on 9 August 1968.