The mishap occurred as a resulted of unloading work to move heavy military hardware from a ship onto the harbour, Danish newspaper Berlingske reports.

“It was the American military. It was some of their helicopters,” Port Esbjerg director Dennis Jul Pedersen told the newspaper.

Pedersen said he did not know if any insurance claim had been sent to the US Military.

The West Jutland port is used to import cars as well as serving as a port for Nato and US military equipment arrivals.

Some 40,000 cars are delivered at the port each year for onward transport to dealerships across Europe.

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The US Military is currently sending hardware to Port Esbjerg before it is transported from Denmark to Eastern Europe. Helicopters on the ships are prepared and then flown onwards to their next location.

The cars were damaged by stones thrown up by the helicopters, according to Berlingske’s report. The cars were parked in a large holding area.

Denmark’s military command authority, Forsvarskommandoen, told the newspaper it had received contact from an insurance company in relation to around 60 damaged cars.

“The damage is said to have occurred during an operation at Port Esbjerg in which helicopters from one of our operational partners flew over the car merchant’s holding park,” the authority said in a written comment.

The military command added it could not give detail as to the extent of the damage or who may be entitled to compensation.