Semisub rig owner Dolphin Drilling has decided to sell a second drilling rig for scrap in the space of a few months Namely, the company sold its Bideford Dolphin semisub for $4.1m to a Turkish yard in March this year The rig was built in 1975 by Aker Kvaerner in Verdal and the sale was part of the company’s fleet optimisation efforts It has been warm-stacked for quite some time in Flekkefjord and the company announced in its 2023 third-quarter financial report that it was considering the rig as a candidate for sale In a webcast for the first quarter results on Wednesday Dolphin said it was also selling its Dolphin Leader semisub for scrap The Øystein Stray Spetalen-backed company bought the Dolphin Leader – formerly the Transocean Leader from Transocean last year in a deal worth $61.5m “We have now reviewed the technical condition of [the rig] and had discussions with all relevant customers to either recoup the purchase price we paid for it or find a project to reactivate it but as of today we have not found either we decided to cut that layup cost and scrap the rig,” the Dolphin Drilling executives stated The 1987-built rig has been in layup since July 2020 a sale agreement should be reached ‘in the near future’ and Dolphin should earn around $6m for the steel They should be bright yellow so they are visible in the ocea.. Don't have an account? Flekkefjord’s narrow streets are lined with traditional timber houses, whose small scale contrasts starkly with the massive volumes of the new cultural center. Mediating between these different scales drove the design process. Courtesy of Helen & HardThe diverse functions of the project were divided into four individual “houses” and the spaces between them creating gathering and circulation spaces. The “between spaces” have been filled with a fanned, continuous stair which links the forecourt, the façade and the levels of the foyer within. The facades of the houses, both interior and exterior, are woven together to create a three-dimensional public concourse. You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email WorkBoat+ Membership – Free to Join You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street NEWS: Long-Delayed USCG Polar Icebreaker Moves Into Full Production Offshore service vessel provider Tidewater has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) to deliver a battery package and associated control system for battery charging to be retrofitted on board the platform supply vessel (PSV) North Pomor which specializes in sustainable energy design and smart control will provide the equipment to the North Pomor in connection with a forthcoming vessel upgrade in 2013 and is already equipped with diesel-electric propulsion NES will utilize competence across its Norwegian facilities in Bergen (HQ) assemble and test the battery package and control system which will be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 NES has not disclosed the value of the contract The agreement has been placed by Tidewater Rederi AS which is part of Tidewater’s Norwegian operation North Pomor sails under the Norwegian flag “Authorities and societies all over the world expect the offshore industry to reduce its carbon footprint Retrofitting a battery package on board a vessel is a quick way to cut emissions,” Egil Bremnes said in a statement announcing the contract installing a battery package reduces fuel costs and operating expenditure while also enhancing system reliability on board This also explains why we are experiencing increased interest in battery retrofits on board offshore support vessels,” Tidewater owns and operates one of the largest fleets of offshore support vessels in the industry with over 60 years of experience supporting offshore energy exploration and production activities worldwide which is listed on Euronext Growth Oslo.  Become a WorkBoat+ Member This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Sars is a Norwegian marine research vessel which is jointly owned and operated by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and the University of Bergen (UIB) Institute of Marine Research and University of Bergen G.O. Sars is a Norwegian marine research vessel which is jointly owned and operated by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and the University of Bergen (UIB). She is possibly the world’s most advanced research vessel of her kind She is armed with state-of-the-art technologies to help carry out various kinds of marine research work The research vessel was handed over to her owner in May 2003 and was constructed to replace another research vessel with the same name (now known as RV Sarsen) Sars is outfitted and prepared for worldwide operations the vessel participated in the Norwegian-led MAR-ECO Expedition to explore life in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge the vessel undertook a major expedition to find and study ecosystems of the northern Arctic Circle Norwegian ship designer Skipsteknisk was given the responsibility of developing the projection and design of the vessel in 1999 IMR and Skipsteknisk worked together on the specifications and drawings of the vessel Sars is a super silent vessel and is built according to ICES Cooperative Research Report no on the underwater noise of research vessels The vessel’s noise and vibration-damped diesel generators produce 99% less underwater noise compared to conventional marine research vessels One of the most advanced features of the vessel is the hull and drop keel-mounted transducers This feature increases the accuracy of data collection even in poor weather conditions The 77.50m long vessel has a moulded breadth of 16.40m Deadweight of the vessel at 6.20m draught is 1,308t Gross tonnage and net tonnage are 4,067t and 1,220t respectively The Norwegian ship builder Flekkefjord Slipp & Maskinfabrikk (FSM) was contracted in December 2000 for the construction of the G.O Building of the sections commenced at the Crist Yard in Poland in 2001 FSM-owned Kvina Yard in Norway built the sections of the hull above the trawler deck The Polish sections and the Norwegian sections were put together at Kvina and the complete hull was ready for launching in August 2002 Final outfitting of the vessel was completed at Flekkefjord The new generation marine research vessel is prepared and fabricated for seismic research and sea floor explorations besides fishery and environmental studies Towards the centre of the ship are two sheltered hangars for environmental research operations there are nearly 15 specialised laboratories The vessel is set up with separate winch systems for both open sea trawling and bottom trawling The hull and the drop kill are mounted with a number of hydro-acoustic sensors These include multibeam echo sounders for deep sea mapping EM 102 multibeam sonar for measurement of volume and density of fish schools and a TOPAS PS 018 parametric sub-bottom profiler to obtain a clear picture of what lies below the seabed There is also an acoustic Doppler current profiler to produce a record of water current velocities at varied depths Sars is equipped with electric AC driven fishing winches double sweep-line winches and two single sweep-line winches Other fishing winches include two pelagic trawl winches and two demersal trawl winches There is also a capstan which is capable of lifting 5.5t Scientific winches include one Mocness winch a deep tow winch and a multinet / Mocness winch Cranes and handling equipment includes two hangar cranes and three elbow derrick cranes Sars is outfitted with a diesel electric propulsion plant The main propulsion system comprises two Teco Westinghouse DC motors along with one Wärtsilä propeller (five-bladed The propulsion system allows the vessel to cruise at a maximum speed of 17.5kt The power generation plant consists of three Wärtsilä 6 L32 diesel generator sets These generators are connected to three Siemens alternators rated at 3,250kVA the vessel is equipped with a retractable azimuth thruster of 900kW and a tunnel thruster of 600kW An additional tunnel thruster of 450kW is placed astern Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. OSV specialist with empty orderbook calls it a day after 51 years. The Simek shipyard in Norway is to close due to a lack of orders. The OSV specialist, based in Flekkefjord, has survived for 51 years, but has been hit by a long depression in the sector. "Of course, it is sad to end this way with a company that managed to pass an age of 50 years," said CEO and owner Oyvind Iversen to the Agder daily. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Your data on TradeWinds TradeWinds is part of DN Media Group AS From November 1st DN Media Group is responsible for controlling your data on TradeWinds We use your data to ensure you have a secure and enjoyable user experience when visiting our site. You can read more about how we handle your information in our privacy policy DN Media Group is the leading news provider in the shipping, seafood, and energy industries, with a number of English- and Norwegian-language news publications across a variety of sectors. Read more about DN Media Group here TradeWinds is part of NHST Global Publications AS and we are responsible for the data that you register with us and the data we collect when you visit our websites We use cookies in a variety of ways to improve your experience such as keeping NHST websites reliable and secure personalising content and ads and to analyse how our sites are being used For more information and how to manage your privacy settings please refer to our privacy and cookie policies Ports are critical to global economic progress and development They contribute to economic progress by facilitating commerce and assisting supply networks Norway is a country with a long coastline that stretches along the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea The Scandinavian country has a thriving economy and multiple world-class ports due to its strategic location Let’s take a look at all the major ports of Norway in this article The Port of Oslo is the principal port of Norway The Sjursya container terminal receives and delivers consumer goods across Norway Half of Norway lives within a three-hour drive of the port Cargo of more than 6 million tonnes regularly travels to and from Oslo by sea each year The Port of Oslo has its headquarters in Vippetangen and its facilities in Sjursoya and employs 100 people regularly The Oslo Harbor Guard operates 24 hours a day and regulates traffic in the Oslo Municipality marine region The terminal has developed electronic access control which implies that any staff with accessibility to the terminal must be authorized in advance by Port Control The Port Control gives key cards to visiting vessels upon their arrival Narvik is the third- most populous municipality in Nordland county of Norway Narvik port is critical to the city’s development as a logistics and transportation hub it was an obvious choice for LKAB as it does not freeze in the winter The port of Narvik ships iron ore to countries all over the world 18-20 million tonnes of cargo travels via this port this port got the title ‘Motorways of the Sea.’ Bergen port sits at the mouth of Byfjorden in western Norway Bergen is Norway’s second-largest port and one of Europe’s most major cruise locations Its primary goals are to encourage marine transportation and to oversee Bergen Port is devoted to the development of creative and practical solutions for a more environmentally friendly port The port provides numerous services such as a comfort centre for pleasure craft tourists All facilities are easily accessible from Borg Haven Fredrikstad It has an enormous capacity and handling system efficient cargo handling and short turnaround periods for the boats the port is a natural choice for the transportation business and is a partner of choice in maritime warehousing It has both indoor and outdoor storage rooms and also administers the renting of several berths Flekkefjord Port is a minor port in Norway and Risholmen near the fjord’s entrance are three well-protected harbours and agriculture are the principal industries it provides essential naval bases such as bays and terminals and the standard infrastructure The port town is a renowned tourist attraction due to its attractive setting The port authorities here place a premium on environmentally friendly operations and are mainly concerned with reducing emissions Flekkefjord Port is critical to the economy of the region Drammen port is in a particularly unusual setting Drammen centrally sits in Norway’s most heavily packed region with half of the country population within a 150-kilometre radius The Port of Drammen is one of Norway’s most sophisticated ports and it is now wholly realizing its aim of being a multimodal transportation hub It is a communications and transportation centre through which vehicles Drammen is a multimodal port that handles commodities received via multiple modes of transportation Its position as a significant logistic crossroads in the transfer of freight between different modes of transportation is reinforced by daily trains from Drammen to various destinations in Norway and overseas is one of Europe’s rapidly expanding cruise ports As the third-largest Norwegian cruise port Stavanger and its surroundings have become a frequent and appealing stop on cruises to Norway This port’s primary tasks include the administration of commodities Other vital operations include pleasure boat tourism and collaborations with event organizers and public-sector entities making it the largest oil and gas cluster in the world The port provides convenient road access to a massive southern area of Norway The Port of Karmsund also provides anchoring Tromso is a modern city with luxury hotels The Port of Tromso is investing heavily in the city centres, including new and enhanced docks and facilities and a new cruise terminal. As a result of these developments, cruise ships will dock in the city centre putting passengers and staff in the centre of all events The Port of Tromso is a significant fishing and tourism port of Norway covering a total land area of 2 million m2 It also has offices and warehouses space of around 34,500 m2 The port is also a crucial logistical hub in the far north of the region and several other services are available at this port Tromso port also serves as a mini craft harbour and has commuters The cruise port of Bod has the most options The metropolitan town of Bod provides magnificent Arctic adventures and gastronomic delights just outside the door in the unique north The Port of Bodo is strategically placed in Norway’s waterway and used as a fishing and general shipping facility The port is planning significant expansions including the construction of a brand-new fishing port with railway tracks going all the way to the dock Aaheim sits on the Vanylvs Fjord on the north-western coast of Norway The Torvholmen islet borders the ice-free harbour towards the west and the Norwegian mainland to the south and east The yearly global consumption of olivine is around 5,000,000t The fjord of Btsfjord sits on the north coast of the Varanger peninsula Batsfjord is a port town and a municipality section of Finnmark The Hurtigruten coastal express ferry makes regular trips to Batsfjord there were more villages in the municipality that over time were abandoned Ports are essential for supporting economic activity in the hinterland since they are a vital link between sea and land traffic ports provide not just an economic but also a social function as job creators Do you know any other Port of Norway that can be added to this list Disclaimer : The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct we make no representations or warranties of any kind suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction Ajay Menon is an undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of Technology pursuing an integrated major in Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture he balances chess and working out tunes on his keyboard during his free time Signup today and get maritime ebooks submitted to your inbox directly.  © 2010 - 2025 Marine Insight — All Rights Reserved We respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously Dolphin Drilling said that the decision aligns with its ongoing efforts to optimise its fleet and enhance operational efficiency The rig was built in 1975 by Aker Kvaerner in Verdal “The rig will be sold and scrapped in a responsible manner in accordance with applicable international standards,” the company explained the driller will own four more 4th and 5th generation enhanced Aker H3 and H4 units – the Borgland Dolphin The Øystein Stray Spetalen-backed company bought the Paul B Loyd Jr and the Dolphin Leader – formerly the Transocean Leader – from Transocean last year in a deal worth $61.5m announced Monday that its Norway subsidiary has taken delivery of the Arctic-class PSV North Barents from Simek AS shipyard The Wärtsilä-powered diesel-electric 11,465-hp North Barents is the third of this type to be built for GulfMark The sister vessels North Pomor and North Cruys were delivered in 2013 and 2014 respectively The PSVs are all 304'x63'x28' with a maximum draft of 23' 1,172 m3; potable water 1,097 m3; drill water 1,820 m3; oil-based mud 1,203 m3; and methanol 5,000-dwt vessel is classified with DNV Clean Design Standby rescue certification (NMD 300) and is compliant with the Special Purpose Ships Code The North Barents was built for approximately $42 million and has commenced operations in Norway “The North Barents represents GulfMark’s commitment to operating a technologically advanced fleet of vessels with this class-leading delivery," Quintin Kneen "She is ideally suited for harsh environment operations and further strengthens our market position in the North Sea where we remain the largest operator of platform supply vessels.” the company announced Wednesday that it had entered into two new long-term contracts The first is a two-year plus options contract for the 10,738-hp Highland Prince has chartered the 2010-built Highland Prince a 240' high specification diesel-electric DP-2 PSV The 4,826-dwt PSV has a deck area of 10720 sq The vessel has a mud capacity of 6,048 bbls The second award is a four-year plus options charter for the 9,598-hp Highland Defender to support drilling operations on a central North Sea development with a U.K is a state of the art dynamically positioned PSV with oil recovery capability clean design and the special purpose ship classification of deck area and a mud capacity of 12,960 bbls “We are delighted with these new awards," Kneen said "Multiple long-term contract awards in this challenging market demonstrates the value our customers continue to place on our leading safe David Krapf retired in 2024 after serving as editor of WorkBoat the nation’s leading trade magazine for the inland and coastal waterways industry Krapf oversaw the editorial direction of the publication shaping its reputation as an industry leader. Krapf's career in publishing began in 1987 as a reporter and editor for daily and weekly newspapers in the Houston area He also served as the editor of a transportation industry daily in New Orleans before joining WorkBoat as a contributing editor in 1992 Krapf has been covering the transportation industry since 1989. He holds a degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Oswego and studied journalism at the University of Houston .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Staten Island Advance StaffSTATEN ISLAND a retired computer corporation supervisor who will be remembered for his skills as a craftsman died Friday in Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) Medical Center He moved to New Dorp in 1955 and lived there until 1988 also known as the Special Viking Battalion and the "Norwegian Avengers." He saw combat in France after the D-Day landing and in Norway and later served in the OSS Special Forces under William Colby He attained the rank of sergeant and earned U.S Salvesen obtained an associate's degree from City University of New York who had taken part in the Norwegian Underground during the Nazi occupation met at a post-war Norwegian Underground victory celebration in her home town of Flekkefjord Salvesen's career as a supervisor at Remington Rand/Sperry Univac in Manhattan spanned more than 30 years He was a member of Eltingville Lutheran Church where he helped to build Eltingville Lutheran School Salvesen was proud and touched to be named a Knight of the Legion of Honor in France a few years ago He also participated in an honor flight to the WWII memorial in Washington with fellow veterans A memorial service is planned for a later date Cremation was handled by Twin Cities Cremation Services and Funeral Home Salvesen's ashes and those of his wife will be released from the high mountain overlooking the town of Flekkefjord Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. 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Visit image gallery to purchase the image following its six-week delivery voyage from Norway Tokatu is the first vessel added to the country's deepwater fleet in more than 20 years and is designed to fish for all species The vessel will be based in Nelson but is expected to make regular calls at Dunedin Sealord chief executive Steve Yung said Tokatu was equipped with energy-production equipment which would allow the vessel to be driven by electricity It would also hold fuel saving technology and new "precision seafood harvesting" technology Sealord's shareholders are Maori-owned Moana New Zealand (Aotearoa Fisheries) and Japan's Nippon Suisan Kaisha which are combining cash and bank debt to fund the $70million project Tokatu will complete final testing in Nelson before going to work on its maiden four-week fishing trip off the South Island's West Coast It is expected to range as far north as New Plymouth and to also travel along both coasts of the South Island The vessel requires about 50 crew for each voyage split into two shifts because the vessel sometimes operates 24/7 plus a full turnaround crew of 50 more onshore The name Tokatu comes from from the Maori proverb Te toka tu moana: the rock that stands in the ocean This small picturesque neighbourhood of a small Norwegian town had a strong relationship with the Netherlands in the 1500s and 1600s Many people outside of Norway haven't heard of Flekkefjord let alone its charming Dutch Quarter (Hollenderbyen) at the town's northern edge and trading stone and wood with the Netherlands was a key element bleach and starch were popular among the women of the town Dutch trade grew as timber exported from Flekkefjord was used in the expansion of Amsterdam The area of the town in which many of the traders lived has been beautifully preserved Perhaps the most photographed building in the city the Grand Hotel (above) is known for its classic Swiss style octagonal towers The Flekkefjord Museum is located inside an old merchant’s house but the real exhibits are the streets themselves. Let's take a walk While most of the houses are white, the area is brightened up a little with the odd different colour, and a spot of street art very much in the style of Stavanger The town prospered because of its ideal location it was close to the forests of southern Norway for the wood and was closer to the Netherlands than almost anywhere else in Norway It's said that the Dutch traders stayed in the town during the winter months to secure the goods for the following year's trading The influence of the Dutch went beyond trade and many Dutch and Dutch-influenced words are used in this region of Norway today Virtually all the buildings in the area are residential and the owners take great pride in their homes Every house was sparkling and most had fresh flowers outside Perhaps that's because the concept of gardening was also imported by the Dutch Captains used to bring strawberries and vegetables to Flekkefjord While plenty of Dutch people came to Norway there was also a flow in the other direction Young Norwegian boys joined Dutch sailing ships as crew while girls travelled to Amsterdam to work as maids more than 11,000 Norwegians got married in the Netherlands with more than four out of five staying there You can also see a glimpse of another of the murals Nesgata is considered the heart of the area by some as it's the street where much of the trade took place and where much of the wood was stored. Just as you think it's coming to an end Nesgaten continues twisting and turning on towards the water This lovely view from the waterfront hides a murky secret below the water line There's even a map on a waterside building displaying the location of them all I wouldn't say the Dutch Quarter is worth the trip alone, but Flekkefjord has more going for it (see this article on my day trip in general) so if you're passing nearby or driving between Kristiansand and Stavanger for example Have you been to Flekkefjord's Dutch Quarter Originally from the UK, David now lives in Trondheim and was the original founder of Life in Norway back in 2011. He now works as a professional writer on all things Scandinavia I’ve been to Flekkefjord a few times My husband and his parents and sisters are in Kvinesdal right now Hopefully they will get a chance to walk through Very interesting – I didn’t know of this area and I would be interested to know of the Dutch linguistic influence A lot of Dutch (and Germans) in Norway as part of the Hanseatic League stayed and married Norwegians Like a number of Bergen families mine has a number of Dutch and German links such as Geelmuyden Ny rather is from Flekkefjord and I have been there many times but I had no clue about the Dutch influence there I will definitely take the time to walk the neighborhood next time l am there Very interesting to read form a Dutch born youngster’s perspective learning about my home country’s history This goes on the list of possible places to come and see when (DV) we get to Norway for a holiday Thank you for your wonderful articles about Norway Dutch traded for oak timbers from Risor as well Ballast they left behind filled in some shoreline and formed the Dutch Garden Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Life in Norway is published by Words of Norway AS A perfect day trip from Stavanger or Kristiansand picturesque Flekkefjord is just waiting to be discovered this lovely town in southern Norway is just two hours by bus from Stavanger and a little less from Kristiansand If you're looking for a day trip from either city On a recent trip to Kristiansand I had some spare time and so pulled out a map I'd originally intended on heading east to Lillesand or Arendal but Flekkefjord caught my attention for its location From the well-kept historic Dutch Quarter to the charming shopping streets every inch of Flekkefjord just begs to be explored What first struck me about Flekkefjord is that it's a really well-kept town Throw into that the amount of waterside views found throughout the town and this is one really pretty place to be The importance of the water to the town is obvious Small boats puttered around the harbour throughout my stay you'll end up at the water no matter in which direction you walk – or at least it feels that way Although several thousand people live here the narrow streets make the place feel much more intimate This is especially so around the shopping streets immediately south of the Dutch Quarter Considering the relatively small size of the town I was quite surprised at the variety of shops While not many international visitors make it down here octagonal church was built of wood in 1833 including galleries with seating on two floors along five of the walls The Oslo to Stavanger railway used to have a spur down to the town Flekkefjord's days as a railway town came to an end you can now ride the 17km track on these specially made rail bikes They seat two adults and can carry either one adult or two children as a passenger The trip starts in the city centre at the former railway station and riders immediately enter one of the 17 tunnels on the route There are two departures times each day (summer only) to ensure there are no issues with bumping into people coming back the other way and taking into account the waiting time at the turnaround it takes most people 3.5 hours to complete the journey This was one part of the town where I finally found some other international visitors A large tour group from Germany was queuing up for a bike and the manager told me they get German tourists here every day throughout the season This lovely neighbourhood had a strong relationship with the Netherlands in the 1500s and 1600s. That legacy is preserved today in the buildings and streets of the gorgeous Dutch Quarter The exchange was just as much cultural as anything else Dutch-influenced words came into the regional dialect while many Norwegian-Dutch families were formed the area is brightened up a little with the odd different colour and a spot of street art very much in the style of Stavanger The Flekkefjord Museum (above) is located inside an old merchant’s house but the real exhibits are the streets themselves It only takes 15-20 minutes to stroll around, but it's well worth doing so. You can read more about the Dutch Quarter here Surrounding the town and stretching all the way along the coast to Egersund is the Magma UNESCO Global Geopark  The majority of rocks in the area were formed from molten rock about 930 million years ago The five focus areas of the park are adventure Popular activities in the region include hiking these giant potholes in the Brufjell mountains were formed 20,000 years ago in the last Ice Age it's a popular hiking destination at Åna-Sira It's easy to visit the town on a day trip from Kristiansand or Stavanger whether you have a car or you're using public transport There are a couple of options within the town itself The most notable is the 29-room Grand Hotel known for its Swiss architecture and characteristic octagonal towers As there's only 29 rooms the hotel can be fully booked during even small events, so book in advance to guarantee a spot. Check rates and availability here Aside from the Grand, the town also has the Maritim Hotel and its popular waterfront terrace. Around two miles out of town, Egenes Camping offers cabins and apartments with access to their private lakeside beach I rarely drive in Norway and didn't rent a car for my trip to Kristiansand The Sør-Vestekspressen travels between Kristiansand and Stavanger three times daily calling at Flekkefjord roughly half-way along the route Booking tickets online in advance saves some money My fare was 215kr each-way and I booked my tickets a couple of days in advance When we had a cabin in Kvinesdal that we visited every summer That railroad “spur” had a funny nickname – I just can’t think of it now yes you can take a train from Oslo to Kristiansand