Germany is beginning to prepare its civilian infrastructure for a possible military scenario despite a shortage of funds in the Bundeswehr budget, Bloomberg reports.

According to the agency, a €1.35 billion modernization project is underway in Bremerhaven, home to Europe’s largest port for car transportation. The project is funded from the state budget and involves strengthening loading platforms so they can move heavy military equipment, including 60-ton Leopard tanks, toward possible future front lines.

Bloomberg notes that this modernization is part of Germany’s large-scale preparations for a potential war. The agency stresses that in the event of a military conflict in Europe, Germany would occupy a strategically important position due to its location and industrial capacity.

At the same time, according to Bloomberg, the German army lacks the funds to finance such projects on its own. For this reason, German authorities are turning to the private sector for assistance. However, cooperation with companies is complicated by bureaucratic procedures and the lack of direct contacts between the parties.

In April, Germany officially approved a military strategy for the first time in its history. The document sets the goal of creating the strongest army in Europe by 2039, while naming Russia as the main threat.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously said that Germany’s military concept represents the quintessence of Europe’s confrontation with Russia.