This work, Operation “Swift Response” arrives at the Port of Narvik, by SSG Daniel Yeadon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Planning for a rail connection from Kemi to the port of Narvik in northern Norway will begin this year the government decided in mid-term budget framework talks on Wednesday It sees the train connection to Narvik as important for security of supply in times of crisis a standard European-gauge railway will be built between Kemi and the neighbouring Swedish town of Haparanda seamless cross-border rail traffic is not possible because Finnish tracks are nine centimetres wider than European standard tracks it still uses a width commonly used in the nineteenth century the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) earmarked 20 million euros for an initial track gauge study Minister of Transport Lulu Ranne (Finns) described the transition to a new track gauge between Haparanda and Kemi as the first step in a long-term project Ranne said that the European Commission has pressured Finland to move toward changing its track gauge which would be a hugely expensive long-term project Nato and the Finnish Defence Forces have made assessments of the most urgent major European military mobility project includes requirements for the study and planning of the transition to the standard 1,435 mm track gauge in countries with different track gauges which dates back to the nineteenth century Narrower-gauge tracks planned to Oulu and Rovaniemi The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) is planning a narrower-gauge rail line first to Kemi and in the future also to the major northern city of Oulu and the village of Misi in Rovaniemi near a Defence Forces depot and shooting range existing tracks already connect Haparanda with Narvik via the Swedish mining towns of Kiruna and Gällivare According to a preliminary Transport Ministry estimate modifying the track as far as Oulu would cost more than 1.5 billion euros more specific details will be revealed once the planning process gets underway I would say that there are plenty of gauge-switching plans for the whole of Northern Finland into the 2030s,” Ranne said Finland has been working on the issue in partnership with authorities in Nato ally countries Sweden and Norway A uniform track gauge would be decisive for national defence Nato could transport equipment to Finland by rail Ranne noted that track plans are not just a security issue accessibility and operating conditions for business is also a strong growth measure,” she argued Ranne predicted that rail overhaul projects would have a significant employment impact in Lapland and Northern Finland Lapland Regional Governor Hannu Takkula hopes that the track work will begin promptly “The Narvik rail connection is part of our regional plan The connection is important for security of supply,” said Takkula deputy commander of the Lapland Jaeger Brigade of the Finnish Defence Forces said that the northern rail connection is currently a real bottleneck “Now nothing can cross the border without special arrangements,” he told Yle Mure pointed out that compatible rail connections are crucial in transporting heavy military equipment This story is posted on the Barents Observer as part of Eye on the Arctic a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organisations Published by: The Independent Barents Observer AS About us The Barents Observer follows the Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press and the document Right and Duties of the Editor We report under full editorial independence and have no external interference Donate to our independent journalism Støtt oss via Vipps: 105 792 - Det betyr mye newstips@thebarentsobserver.com atle@thebarentsobserver.com thomas@thebarentsobserver.com☏ +47-905 73 143 denis@thebarentsobserver.com georgii@thebarentsobserver.com liza.vereykina@thebarentsobserver.com olesia@thebarentsobserver.com Privacy policy Mining company LKAB's iron ore freight trains in Narvik The Swedish mining company transports large amounts of iron ore products to the port of Narvik on a daily basis The railway line is also important for the transport of goods into Northern Norway as well as seafood products southwards to Oslo through Sweden According to a preliminary status report from the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority a damaged wheel could have contributed to the train derailment on the Iron Ore Line a year ago The fully loaded train was heading from the northern Swedish city of Kiruna to Narvik when several cars derailed near the Norwegian border Les på norsk. The derailment on the Iron Ore Line in December last year may have been caused by a defective wheel This was stated by the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority The final report is scheduled for March 2025 A loaded iron ore train heading from Kiruna in Northern Sweden to Narvik in Northern Norway derailed near the Norwegian border with several cars but the derailment led to significant damage to infrastructure A decision was made to investigate the incident and the damages were estimated at 2 million euros informs the Accident Investigation Authority The report reveals that a wheel is to have derailed while the trail was still in motion The more extensive derailment occurred 15 kilometers later with several derailed axles and cars The investigators found an axle with a loose A crack on the back of the wheel flange is a likely contributor The cause of this is still under investigation the iron ore extracted in northern Sweden is loaded onto ore ships for transport to international markets LKAB extracts iron ore in Kiruna and Gällivare in northern Sweden and is Europe's largest producer of iron ore The derailment had significant consequences for the Swedish mining company LKAB as most of the iron ore products it extracts and produces are shipped to Narvik for shipment to the markets 10-12 of LKAB's iron ore trains run in each direction between Narvik and Kiruna on a daily basis The railway line is also very important for transporting consumer goods to Northern Norway A double track has long been called for in order to increase capacity and reduce vulnerability yet another derailment occurred on the railway The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority is investigating this incident as well High North News is not responsible for the content or opinions expressed on external web pages Editor in Chief:Trine Jonassen E-mail High North News Editor/Commentator: Arne O. HolmTel: (+47) 905 29 472 Journalist:Hilde-Gunn Bye Journalist:Astri Edvardsen Translator:Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen Norwegian green energy developer Aker Horizons and Leipzig-based gas trader VNG have signed a term sheet for supplying green ammonia from Narvik The signing further formalizes the companies’ cooperation which began in May 2023 when the letter of intent (LoI) was signed VNG plans to buy up to 150,000 tons of green ammonia per year from Aker Horizons’ large-scale green industrial hub under development in Narvik which is expected to produce around 450,000 tons of green ammonia per year The purchased volumes will be shipped to Germany and delivered to VNG’s customers directly as ammonia or in the form of hydrogen especially when taking into account the actual uncertainties in the markets is a very important step in our supply relationship VNG considers Narvik Green Ammonia as one of the most promising and mature large scale green ammonia projects in Europe We are opening up new perspectives and at the same time it is strengthening our energy partnership with Norway,” said Konstantin von Oldenburg Managing Director of Aker Horizons Asset Development added: “Progressing from stated ambitions to firm contracts is what we need to realize industrial-scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia With VNG signing on as a potential off-taker distributing our product to clients in Europe’s most important energy market the Narvik Green Ammonia project takes a significant step in this direction Aker Horizons appreciates the trust placed in Narvik Green Ammonia and we look forward to continuing the close cooperation with VNG in the year ahead.” Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups Routes is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC This summer 2025 easyJet will execute a new route between Amsterdam and Harstad/Narvik (Norway) 2x a week and will be available in the months of June Meet foresterbob and his sidekick, Narvik, this Saturday, September 28, at Creston Park in SE Portland  The park is just south of Powell Blvd at the intersection of SE 42nd Ave  There is a parking lot at the entrance of the park  — we will be at the picnic tables just adjacent This is after the lunch hour but if you would like to bring some nibbles or beverages to share Let me know in the comments if you will come and if you would like to bring something it’s been a long time since we met up in these parts for the opportunity to meet you and be together Not signed up for Daily Kos yet? Create a free account I went on an Arctic adventure which included freezing temperatures and enough layers of clothing to double my body size This article would be miles long if I went day-by-day so here’s a brief summary of the things I got up to: Arriving at the cabins felt like looking at a snowy fairy tale Sixty little red cabins were all lined up in perfect rows Admiring our new homes was great but we still had the impossible task of lugging our suitcases through the snow which proved to be very difficult Each cabin came with its own sauna…a first for me orange lighting; everything felt so cosy and nostalgic After spending over 24 hours on a bus to get to Lapland the one-hour journey to Narvik felt like nothing our tour guide decided to take a quick detour to a lake for a classic Nordic dip I lasted long enough to get photo evidence (priorities) before sprinting back to shore We spent the rest of the day in Narvik like proper tourists: admiring views drinking overpriced hot chocolate in a cute café Snowshoe hiking at night sounds peaceful but I’ve never heard so much noise in my life Twenty pairs of snow shoes crunching around in the snow made it sound like we were marching in the army or something making our own paths like Arctic explorers we were all instructed to lie on our backs on a hill Ice Fishing – We ventured out onto a frozen lake Our instructor demonstrated how to hand-drill holes into the ice and when the ice made a dramatic “thwack” sound and cracked We spent 30 minutes holding rods and waiting for fish that never came Our instructor casually mentioned they’d caught a grand total of three fish all season and attempting to create tiny wood feathers Our group was so bad at starting a flame that the instructor handed us a tampon (which I’ve now learnt are highly flammable) all the groups combined their pitiful fires into one big one Shelter Building – My group’s creation was ok But then we turned to see two guys who had built an actual dugout shelter impressive enough to fit all five of us We got the chance to learn about Sami culture The Sami people have been reindeer herders for centuries my thoughts were mostly ‘how much longer until we can go indoors?’ The most anticipated activity of the trip did not disappoint We arrived at the husky safari company and were immediately greeted by dozens of barking dogs dressed up in rental clothes that were three sizes too big we warmed up in a hut with coffee and a fire I’ve never felt so cold and joyous in my life We got a quick lesson on the basics and were let loose on a mini circuit but I managed to go down a few hills without face-planting which made me feel slightly better every time I fell I may have been dreadful but it’s something I can cross off my bucket list No one wanted to leave Lapland without seeing the Northern Lights There were many false alarms with people running out of cabins My group even resorted to checking Instagram every minute to see if anyone else had spotted them I ran outside in my pyjamas and untied shoes very very faint streaks dancing across the sky This sounds like such an exciting experience! Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed Beginning November 2, travellers from the UK can enjoy direct access to Northern Norway’s Arctic landscapes with a new weekly flight from London Gatwick to Harstad-Narvik Airport in Evenes. This winter route will be joined on December 23 by another direct flight from Milan Bergamo, Italy, opening a gateway to the unique winter experiences of Lofoten, Vesterålen, and Narvik. Operated by Norwegian Airlines, these routes will run weekly, with flights from London on Saturdays and from Bergamo on Mondays, making access to the region simpler for international visitors. Local tourism boards—Destination Lofoten, Visit Narvik, Visit Vesterålen, and Northern Norway Tourism—are celebrating this new connectivity, highlighting the enhanced opportunity to share Northern Norway’s beautiful scenery and winter adventures with a European audience. Another cultural stop is the Hurtigruten Museum in Stokmarknes, which celebrates Norway’s maritime history. Here you can explore exhibits detailing the significance of Hurtigruten to the region, including its role in transportation and trade. The aviation analytics firm Cirium reports a significant rise in ski holiday bookings and flights to Norway for the upcoming winter season. PlanetSKI looks at the attractions of Norway as a ski destination. with an impressive 64% year on year rise in December 2024 bookings Demand is being met with nine new flight routes from the UK: To meet this growing demand the UK operator Ski Solutions has expanded its offering in the Scandinavian country by adding the resorts of Gausta and Narvik to its portfolio this coming winter provides skiers with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to witness the Northern Lights while enjoying the slopes The recent launch of a direct flight from London to Harstad-Narvik airport has made this remote yet magical destination more accessible for skiers PlanetSKI visited Narvik a couple of years ago and we were bowled over: New for this winter is a “Roarsome Sled Week” at Beitostoeln 19th – 22nd February 2025 It’s aimed at families with young kids and on offer is toboganning See here for more: Roarsome Sled Week “Norway’s rise as a must visit winter destination for British travellers is fantastic to see,” said the  Managing Director of Ski Solutions “The combination of well preserved natural beauty and world-class skiing has created an unparalleled offering for those looking to book a ski holiday outside of the usual go to destinations “With an increase in direct flights and a growing appetite for adventure we’re seeing an increase in travellers embracing Norway as a top choice for the upcoming ski season “The significant year-on-year increase in bookings to resorts like Geilo and Trysil highlights just how much UK skiers are drawn to Norway’s charm and versatility” See here for more from Norway-Home of Skiing It recently had a stand at the London Snow Show and if queues of people lining up to find out more about Norway is anything to go by then skiing in Norway will continue to grow The CEO of Norway – Home of Skiing is Trevor de Villiers who is more than ably assisted by Geir Bottolfs These two guys have done so much to bring skiing in Norway to the British market and PlanetSKI is honoured to consider them our friends The organisation offers seven resorts in Norway: It deals with several UK operators: Crystal Ski Holidays The Norway stand at the various UK ski shows is usually the one where the most fun happens too Trevor invited a random friend of his from Glenshee in Scotland to entertain the crowds We’re planning to visit Gausta in the send half of the season as the snow is excellent in Norway in March and into April For the Spirit of the Mountains – PlanetSKI: Number One for ski news Content copyright © 2025, PlanetSKI Ltd. | Privacy policy | Terms & Conditions The illustration shows TECO 2030's innovation center in Narvik Like the other subsidiaries of the TECO 2030 group based in Narvik this company will not be directly impacted by the TECO 2030 AS bankruptcy The bankruptcy of the TECO 2030 ASA subsidiary is not to impact the company's establishments in Narvik Measures are now taken to save the rest of the company Les på norsk. TECO 2030 AS is bankrupt with NOK 204 million in debt. That was reported by Finansavisen earlier this week. The board submitted the bankruptcy petition on Tuesday and Bærum district court was to hear a bankruptcy petition from the Norwegian Tax Agency due to outstanding taxes and duties TECO 2030 AS is a subsidiary of TECO 2030 ASA and is a pure management company based in Bærum What is sad is that we are losing many talented employees," said TECO 2030 CEO Tore Enger to the newspaper TECO 2030 ASA develops zero-emission technology for maritime and heavy industry Four of TECO 2030's companies have addresses in Narvik According to the newspaper Fremover, the factory manager at the TECO 2030 Innovation Center says that all the employees in Narvik are employed by the Innovation Centre and that the bankruptcy will not affect them directly. "We are doing everything we can and working 24/7 to save the rest. We are working on a plan, says CEO Enger in a recent interview with the newspaper. TECO 2030 was to produce hydrogen-based fuel cells in Narvik for maritime use thereby positioning itself to become a leading supplier of zero-emission technology for ships – for the green transition in the maritime sector the company announced that it considered it necessary to look for opportunities abroad and refers specifically to unpredictable framework conditions in Norway and a lack of available capital In an interview with High North News in October, Enger said it is uncertain what will happen to production in Narvik where the company is NOK 400 million away from starting full-scale production of hydrogen-based fuel cells Enger also called for more support from the government "In regard to the green shift that the world is to embark on now the government must contribute in the starting phase but the government must also contribute in order for this to succeed," he said By: Espen Viklem Eidum // UiT The Arctic University of Norway “It is important to better understand structural icing and develop new technological solutions to combat icing,” says Professor Muhammad Virk icing researcher and leader of the icing station project A research team (arcICE) from UiT The Arctic University of Norway has installed an advanced ice monitoring field station at Linken/Fagernesfjellet in Narvik to study the complex meteorological parameters related to structural atmospheric icing This scientific setup is unique in its kind as no other such field station for studying icing exists in Norway “I haven’t seen anything like this icing station anywhere in the world,” says Svein Fikke an internationally known expert in the icing field The severity of icing events varies depending on local weather conditions the site altitude compared to the average height of the terrain has a great effect on the severity of icing Climate change has also started to have an influence on icing cycles Stronger weather variability and rapid changes in meteorological conditions which are projected responses to climate change Various advanced sensors are installed at this field research station site the sensors also collect data about liquid water content in air The station is installed at about 1000 m altitude in extreme weather conditions near Narvik above the Arctic Circle in northern Norway This location is highly suitable for studying extreme icing events Data collected from this field station will help us to better understand the meteorological parameters leading to complex icing events and thus improve our ability to forecast icing events and estimate the possible ice loads on different structures This knowledge will help improve the design and safety of structures in ice-prone regions Such structures may include power transmission lines means money saved for business – and society “What we have achieved here wouldn’t have been possible without the effort put in by everyone on the team that established this icing station I want to thank them all very much,” says Professor Virk This article is originally published by Fram Forum former general and head of the Total Preparedness Commission repeated the message from the commission's report in Narvik: "This is serious." I sat in Reykjavik and wrote about how contradictory it was that Russia's war against Ukraine created optimism in the Arctic The defense industry was a new area of investment The question that remained unanswered was whether the business sector in the North was to connect to the "new" industry Les på norsk. This is a comment written by a member of the editorial staff The comment expresses the writer's opinions the arms manufacturers' stock prices have skyrocketed in line with increasingly costly public orders the industry along the coast is threatened by quota reductions and without accounting for Ukrainian refugees Norway's border with Russia is the driving force behind the growth  we find Russia's nuclear arsenal and a nuclear fleet threatening the US "This is the only area where Russia is a great power," said former general Harald Sunde in a lecture in Narvik the High North is Norway's most important strategic area It is not a pandemic that will pass with vaccines The defense industry is more than production than weapons More than 70 and 80 percent of the Armed Forces' needs are produced by civil society This is where the Northern Norwegian business sector wants a piece of the cake The challenge is that the businesses are small and far from the decision-makers The market is rigged for competition instead of cooperation the Northern Norwegian business sector is the losing team and the Armed Forces in Finnmark buys its bread from Drammen in Southern Norway instead of local bakeries not a competitive advantage to be in the Armed Forces' vicinity as well as the Northern Norwegian consulting business Kupa recently asked how the Northern Norwegian business sector could connect to incoming investments as the total preparedness in the North is to be upgraded of most political parties' list of priorities the noise of a never-ending tax dispute is still what dominates the political discourse it is both commendable and necessary for a Northern Norwegian initiative to elevate the realities we're facing into politics When the former General Harald Sunde slammed the Total Preparedness Commission's report on the government's table in June 2023 the conclusion could be read already on the cover: This is serious The seriousness is first and foremost about making the High North capable of withstanding hostile attacks whether they are hybrid or carried out with weapons A crucial part of the civil part of our total preparedness will be to benefit the accounts of Northern Norwegian businesses The Armed Forces depend on a solid business sector not least by the Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen We can argue about the military operational value of establishments in the North The value of investment capacity and profits in northern Norwegian companies is indisputable Experiences from the oil industry show that early action is necessary to participate in value creation at all Andøya Spacecenter and Kongsberg Satellite Service are companies already incorporated into the Armed Forces The question that seeks an answer is how the private sector can become part of the total supply chain in a world preparing for war Norway's two largest weapons manufacturers were conspicuously absent from the conference But at least both the Armed Forces and European and American giants in the defense industry were present Also absent were the top management in Troms and Nordland counties I hope both the Chair of the County Government in Nordland and the Chair of the County Executive Board in Troms had good reasons for choosing not to participate in such an arena Finnmark has chosen to stay out of this initiative for reasons unknown to me The otherwise forward-looking Chair of the County Government should have good reasons for such a choice I hope they have good reasons for their absence.  The expertise was more than adequately provided by Mari Siljebråten Their arguments were definitely heard by both defense and industry but the salespeople in the European arms industry would like to add meetings with top politicians when they return home and report to their bosses Tobias Wuertz from ThyssenKrupp Marine System a company with 98,000 employees in 47 countries and a turnover of 35 billion euros One thing is certain: If Northern Norwegian businesses are to participate in future investments We already know enough about what the different parties think about wealth tax But we know little about how the gigantic investments in total defense will benefit business in our most important strategic area TECO 2030 announced a strategic shift from manufacturing fuel cells in Norway today to positioning itself as a global technology provider Illustrative photo shows TECO 2030's Innovation Center in Narvik The company TECO 2030 is NOK 400 million away from initiating a full-scale production of hydrogen-based fuel cells in Narvik CEO Tore Enger says the money market in Norway is "dry" for both public and private capital He is turning his gaze toward the US and India Les på norsk. "We see it necessary to go where there is interest," says CEO Tore Enger of TECO 2030 in an interview with High North News.  the Norwegian based clean tech company announced a change in course away from Norway The company planned to produce hydrogen-based fuel cells for maritime use in Narvik it positioned itself to become a leading vendor of zero-emission technology for ships and the green shift in the maritime sector the company considers it necessary to seek opportunities abroad and specifically blames unpredictable framework conditions in Norway and a lack of available capital.  "The money market in Norway today is completely dry We have talked to tens of potential investors in Norway The CEO first and foremost critiques what he believes is Norwegian authorities' lack of support for companies such as TECO "In meetings with the Norwegian Ministry of Trade we hear that we have done everything right But we need more support from the authorities Little is done to help businesses such as ours to launch a new industry," maintains Enger He says the company has invested NOK 800 million so far In 2021, Innovation Norway awarded the company NOK 50 million on the condition that TECO itself would gather NOK 160 million in equity from other investors The company fulfilled this condition in March 2023 the company still needs NOK 400 million to launch a full-scale production in Norway and could export products worth EUR 1 billion per year to the international market What measures would you want to see from the government "We have said that we are NOK 400 million away from introducing full-scale production in Norway One idea is that such support could come as a combination of both loans and pure financing grants." but the government must also contribute in order for this to succeed ," says Enger With the plans for mass production of hydrogen-based fuel cells TECO 2030 aimed toward becoming a leading vendor of zero-emission technology for greener shipping Enger believes there is currently a particularly low interest in the green shift in Norway "We see it necessary to go where there's interest this means we don't know what will happen with the production in Narvik and Norway," he says and continues nothing is to indicate that there will be a production in Norway anytime soon – unless anything happens – as we don't have the money to do it We must start up where it is possible to survive," he says "The Biden Administration has awarded USD 370 billion to the green shift [through the Inflation Reduction Act Norway hardly contributes with anything," Enger argues.  When asked about the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries' respons to Enger's criticism State Secretary Tomas Norvoll (Labor) clarifies that mainly private actors and private capital must lead the way in the green shift "The government wants to facilitate green business and industry development across the country with good framework conditions but the business sector itself must take the lead and take the opportunities and solve the challenges related to the transition," says Norvoll and continues: "USA investing heavily in transitioning and industry is a good thing It could contribute to cutting global emissions and lowering costs related to investments in green solutions we already have good support schemes and prerequisites to be part of the shift but the basic principle is that private actors and private capital must lead the way Norway would not benefit from a subsidy race but we also do a lot considering the size of our economy." "Norway would not benefit from a subsidy race but we also do a lot considering the size of our economy," says State Secretary Tomas Norvoll (Labor) of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade What are the state secretary's thoughts on how several businesses that have positioned themselves in the green shift are looking for opportunities abroad "The government has ambitions for the green industrial initiative We have said that we will contribute to green and attractive workplaces across the country it is naturally up to the businesses to make the final decisions on investments and locations," says Norvoll Does the government plan to stop a development where green industrial projects in the north put their plans on hold "Things are going well in big parts of the Norwegian industry the north is one of the centers for new industrial development," replies the state secretary and continues: "We acknowledge that there are great opportunities but also challenges which is why we are currently working on a new industry white paper to be presented in the spring of 2025 We now visit industry businesses and industrial workers nationwide to listen and gather input Actors from Northern Norway have also contributed to this work "Northern Norway has valuable natural resources which are important prerequisites to develop profitable and green workplaces which is set up as a risk loan scheme under Innovation Norway The scheme has a loan limit of NOK 5 billion and will help speed up the transition Businesses in Northern Norway can also apply," he says Enger also critiques the government's changes to framework conditions which he says creates uncertainty for the company's operations "The parliament has adopted zero emission requirements for the world heritage fjords from January 1st but the government has now undone this decision at the stroke of a pen and moved the implementation [for larger ships We are developing what we do precisely with a view to an emission-free maritime industry." The government announced at the end of August that the zero-emission requirement for the world heritage fjords from 2026 will first apply to tourist ships and ferries under 10,000 gross tonnes The requirement is postponed for larger ships and will apply from January 1st State Secretary Norvoll points out the necessity for the largest ships to be given time to readjust "It is important for climate policy that our decisions are clear and do not create uncertainty in the market They must also be accepted by the local community and the relevant industries," he adds In an open letter to the Ministry of Trade Enger states that the company's potential investors do not trust that emission reduction requirements will actually be implemented.  "The state has also long announced zero emission requirements for ferries from 2023 Nor was sufficient funding provided for the zero-emission high-speed ferries that was promised by 2024," writes the CEO and elaborates: "We had competed for the county council's project on a hydrogen-powered high-speed ferries delivered an approved design in accordance with the contract "The early-phase projects are extremely important to us as a start-up company with new forward-looking zero-emission technology and it is extremely harmful when these projects and requirements disappear." "When the commitment to zero emissions loses credibility it also becomes impossible to raise private capital." In connection with the state budget, which was presented on Monday, Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Labor) says that the government will introduce zero-emissions requirements for ferries from January 1st, 2025. The requirement will apply to public tenders for ferries and ferry services announced on January 1st there will be some exceptions to the zero-emission requirements including where biogas is used and where the requirement is not technically or financially feasible to implement To contribute to the faster phasing of zero-emission technology for high-speed ferries the government proposes strengthening the financial framework for the Norwegian Environment Agency's authority to support county-level high-speed ferry projects through the high-speed ferry program  This program is an application-based grant scheme for county projects that will contribute to lower emissions from high-speed ferries.  TECO 2030 recently announced a strategic shift from producing fuel cells in Norway today to positioning itself as a global technology supplier this means moving the company's production plans on licensing agreements to countries where conditions are more favorable "As opportunities in regions like the U.S. driven by strong government support and substantial public investment in hydrogen TECO 2030 is positioning itself to take full advantage," the company writes in a press release initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are creating favorable conditions for hydrogen development with $8 billion allocated for hydrogen hubs and $369 billion dedicated to climate and energy initiatives." "TECO 2030 will pursue these opportunities through its American entity positioning the company to capture a significant share of the growing U.S India is pursuing government-backed projects aimed at reducing emissions and expanding renewable energy infrastructure." Copyright © 2018 High North News. All Rights Reserved. ProductionNorwegian green ammonia project scales down offtake as it pushes back timelineDeveloper Aker Horizons has pivoted from blue H2 to focusing on producing green hydrogen and its derivatives this decade Mayor Claes Nordmark (S) of Boden municipality in Northern Sweden Nordmark is also the leader of Norrbottens Municipalities an association of 14 municipalities in Sweden's northernmost county The mayor of the Northern Swedish municipality Boden believes the Swedish Government is not taking the further construction of the Iron Ore Line seriously Sweden recently presented several measures for improving the vital railway but is criticized for not doing enough Les på norsk. and Swedish and Finnish NATO memberships have all contributed to increased attention toward the much-discussed Iron Ore Line The heavily loaded railway line between Norway and Sweden is currently characterized by significant demand Due to the expected growth on both sides of the border it will exceed capacity in the years to come Both Norway and Sweden recently presented several measures to increase capacity on the line In an interview with HNN emphasized that Norway and Sweden have identified the Ofoten Line a critical project to invest in and three new passing loops are now part of the National Transport Plan The mining company LKAB's iron ore train in Narvik Business and industry actors and regional and local authorities have called for a double track as the most needed measure on the Ofoten and Iron Ore Line in the coming years the mayor of the Northern Swedish municipality Boden is critical of what he argues is a lack of investment in the Iron Ore Line from the Swedish government "The Iron Ore and Ofoten Line is crucial for the growth in the whole of Sweden and Norway and the railway line produces enormous value it is difficult to understand that the Swedish Government does not take the upgrade and construction of the Iron Ore Line seriously," says the Boden mayor to High North News "It's as if the government does not want to invest in Northern Sweden for ideological reasons Considering the Iron Ore Line's significance for our joint preparedness and defense ability which should not be a party political issue it is even more difficult to understand," he adds As HNN reported, the railway between Norway and Sweden has gained increased significance in light of Sweden and Finland's membership in NATO The line is considered an essential corridor for transporting materials and allied reinforcements to support the Cap of the North in the event of a crisis or a war Nordmark highlights the railway line's significance to the industry in the North An extensive societal shift is occurring in several Northern Swedish cities due to significant investments in the green industry The Iron Ore Line is not least crucial for the Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB which sends several iron ore trains by the line daily to the ports of Narvik and Luleå the mining company reported significantly lower annual results partly due to the prolonged closure of the Iron Ore Line at the beginning of 2024 LKAB's Communications President Niklas Johansson says to Radio Sweden that the government's new infrastructure measures were a step in the right direction but that Sweden is decades behind when it comes to the Iron Ore Line "This is important because it will require much more effort in the time coming to create the necessary conditions," he says we can't get full capacity if we produce all we can We can't get the products to the ports in Narvik and Luleå We also can't do too much simultaneously because traffic won't move Everyone can see the enormous problems on the Iron Ore Line and we must try to find ways to solve them going forward," he adds Many major industrial projects are already underway in Northern Sweden H2 Green Steel (now Stegra) is investing heavily in Boden have faced significant challenges in their operations Another company requesting greater capacity is the steel company Stegra which is building its first steel plant to produce fossil-free steel with the help of hydrogen in Boden municipality Public and Media Relations Manager Nils Eklund says to HNN that the Swedish Government's recent Iron Ore Line decisions are welcomed and in line with its previous message to accelerate measures "Regarding the planned measures for the Sävastklinten–Norra Sunderbyn stretch we have been notified in our dialogue with the Swedish Transport Administration that they are working hard to clarify the government's questions about the stretch We can only emphasize that it is also urgent to get a decision to start construction for this stretch," Eklund states The stretch is part of the railway corridor Boden-Luelå which is considered part of the Iron Ore Line but actually belongs to the Main Line Through Upper Norrland Sweden's government is now pointing out that the cost basis for the interchange station and partial double track on the Sävastklinten-Norra Sunderbyen section has increased significantly since the previous national transport infrastructure plan was submitted for the period 2022-2033 the government is instructing the Swedish Transport Administration to investigate possible cost-saving measures it is important that further decisions are made to expand the capacity of the Iron Ore Line as a whole This also applies to the Boden-Luleå route," Eklund adds The Swedish Transport Administration has secured funds to develop railway plans for double tracks between Boden and Luleå but funding is still lacking for the actual construction Boden Mayor Nordmark also raises the issue of double tracks on the vital section between Boden and Luleå "The Iron Ore Line section between Boden and Luleå is Sweden's Suez Canal This is a stretch on which there is very little space for goods and passenger traffic and double tracks must be built here immediately but the government is not touching this at all It is a threat to both existing industry and the extensive new industrial investments," he emphasizes and concludes: "Investing in the Iron Ore Line is not an aid project but a growth project because it is already the most profitable railway in all of Sweden large investments must be made to expand it already today." 2024·Alpine SkiingNarvik delegation in Reykjavik © Agence ZoomJune 4 will forever be etched in Narvik's history the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced that Narvik will host the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships This momentous achievement fulfills a long-held dream for the town The announcement was met with exuberant joy by the Narvik delegation which included notable local and retired athletes like Ragnhild Mowinckel and Leif Kristian Haugen the Harpa Congress Centre was filled with anticipation as FIS President Johan Eliasch prepared to announce the host city for the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships Norway," the room erupted in jubilation This moment marked the culmination of extensive efforts and dedication to securing this prestigious event for Narvik "This is a monumental day for Norwegian skiing The FIS World Championships is one of the world’s largest sporting events Norway has long been recognized as a top alpine nation and now we can finally host the Alpine World Championships at home."– Tove Moe Dyrhaug president of the Norwegian Ski FederationKnut-Eirik Dybdal Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Alpine World Championships 2029 emphasizing the collaborative effort that led to this victory "Ski-Norway and Northern Norway have lifted this championship project together through close and effective cooperation over many years We eagerly look forward to the next stage with the Norwegian Ski Federation While we recognize the significant work ahead our primary focus is on creating a fantastic FIS World Championships" – Knut-Eirik DybdalThe 2031 Alpine World Ski Championships were also awarded during this session FIS decided to award two World Championships due to the high caliber of the bids from Narvik (Norway) the room once again fell silent as FIS President Johan Eliasch prepared to announce the 2031 host city the delegation led by Rainer Senoner celebrated jubilantly This marked the realization of a vision years in the making as Val Gardena will host the Alpine World Ski Championships for the second time since 1970 When he finally read out the name Val Gardena the delegation led by Rainer Senoner erupted in boundless jubilation It seemed as if a weight of tons had been lifted from the shoulders of all the delegation members who had not only made the long journey to Iceland but had also worked for over three years to make their vision a reality Because now it was clear: Val Gardena/Gröden will host the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2031 for the second time since 1970 The information on this page is intended for journalists If you click NO you will come back to Mynewsdesk.com Seats go on sale today for Norwegian’s newest route between London and Northern Norway for the upcoming winter season “We’ve been eager to announce this new route between London Gatwick airport and Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes Northern Norway attracts thousands of visitors to experience the northern lights and beautiful Arctic wilderness The launch of this new route also connects residents of Northern Norway to England’s bustling capital in under four hours,” said Magnus Thome Maursund Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes gives easy access to some of Northern Norway’s most beautiful areas like the Lofoten islands This northerly region has become a year-round destination for nature lovers with its cooler summers and midnight sun making hiking conditions ideal to experience the jaw-droppingly beautiful nature The winter season gives visitors the best opportunity to experience the northern lights in the cold “We are excited about Norwegian’s new flight route from from London Gatwick to Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes Evenes serves as the gateway to the stunning beauty of the Lofoten region the international ski resort Narvikfjellet the unique whale experiences in Vesterålen These new routes will provide easier access to this region's natural beauty and extraordinary attractions We anticipate this will boost year-round tourism and positively impact on our local economy representing a significant milestone for our community these routes will offer locals a never-before-seen access to these popular destinations” The new route between London Gatwick airport and Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes will operate with a weekly departure on Saturdays from 2 November during the winter season “Narvik was just selected as the host city for the FIS Alpine World Cup Ski Championships in 2029 Narvik sits inside the Arctic circle and offers a unique skiing experience with amazing vistas of fjords and slopes to suit the demands of all skiers,” said Magnus Thome Maursund Norwegian has also launched a new direct route between Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes and Bergamo/Milano in Italy for the upcoming winter season These new routes from Harstad-Narvik airport in Evenes are in addition to the previously announced direct route to Palma del Mallorca in Spain for the summer season Norwegian also operates year around direct flights between Evenes and Oslo and between Evenes and Bergen during the summer season Search and buy your tickets here. About NorwegianThe Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company The company has over 8,200 employees and owns two of the prominent airlines in the Nordics: Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe’s Flyveselskap aiming to facilitate seamless air travel across the two airline’s networks The Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company the largest Norwegian airline with around 4,700 employees operates an extensive route network connecting Nordic countries to key European destinations Norwegian carried over 22,6 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 86 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft Mainly operating the short-runway airports in rural Norway Widerøe operates several state contract routes (PSO routes) in addition to its own commercial network the airline had 3.8 million passengers and a fleet of 49 aircraft including 46 Bombardier Dash 8’s and three Embraer E190-E2's Widerøe Ground Handling provides ground handling services at 41 Norwegian airports The Norwegian group has sustainability as a key priority and has committed to significantly reducing carbon emissions from its operations the most noteworthy is the investment in production and use of fossil-free aviation fuel (SAF) Norwegian strives to become the sustainable choice for its passengers actively contributing to the transformation of the aviation industry When you choose to create a user account and follow a newsroom your personal data will be used by us and the owner of the newsroom for you to receive news and updates according to your subscription settings To learn more about this, please read our Privacy Policy, which applies to our use of your personal data, and our Privacy Policy for Contacts which applies to the use of your personal data by the owner of the newsroom you follow Please note that our Terms of Use apply to all use of our services You can withdraw your consent at any time by unsubscribing or deleting your account ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravel7 Things To Do In Narvik, Norway’s Emerging Arctic DestinationByDavid Nikel Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights David Nikel is a travel writer covering cruising and Scandinavia.Follow AuthorMar 27 01:41pm EDTShareSaveCommentThe Norwegian city of Narvik in the winter weather The 2023 worldwide release of the movie Narvik on streaming service Netflix brought this small industrial city in Northern Norway to the world’s attention The port city is surrounded by mountains and fjords providing a spectacular natural playground for visitors to explore Few other than keen war historians knew much about Narvik prior to the movie which depicts the dramatic set of land and sea battles that took place in and around Narvik in the early years of World War II Interest in the city as a tourist destination has grown since the movie’s release Narvik is now an increasingly important port of call for several European cruise lines running northern lights and midnight sun itineraries the midnight sun bathes Narvik in a never-ending glow ideal for exploring the hiking trails and fjords at whatever time of day Narvik becomes a basecamp for exceptional winter sports and outdoor activities from downhill skiing and coastal walks to hunting the northern lights Modern Narvik exists essentially because of the Ofoten Railway which was built to link the iron ore mines of Northern Sweden with the ice-free port in Northern Norway The Arctic Train is a tourist service on the railway from Narvik towards Sweden there’s few better ways to dive into the culture and stunning natural beauty of the area than by taking a ride on the railway Although still primarily used as an iron ore line, there is a daily passenger departure to Sweden’s capital city Stockholm, and a tourist service known as The Arctic Train This service runs through the mountainous terrain up to the border with Sweden before returning to Narvik the Arctic Train is a tourist service that includes several photo stops along the way it runs on selected days during high season and when cruise ships are in port at other times of the year or pay approximately $55 to reserve a place in advance with The Arctic Train directly Bear in mind that cruise line excursions will include transport to and from the railway station which is approximately 30-minutes walk from the cruise port Regardless of whether you’ve watched the movie or not, a visit to Narvik War Museum is a must The excellent museum reveals the captivating narrative of the early days of the war through the eyes of the people of Narvik It also takes a step back to ask deeper questions about the value of a human life and whether a war is ever won Narvik War Museum is a must-visit in Narvik a visit to the war cemetery on the northern side of the city is worth the walk you’ll find monuments to the various nationalities involved in the Battle of Narvik A striking brick building standing on the hillside overlooking the cruise port now plays host to Narvik Museum This small but interesting museum tells the story of the railway’s construction and the subsequent development of the city in more detail Kids will love exploring the historic locomotive housed within Thanks to its stunning views and challenging off-piste opportunities Narvikfjellet is one of the most famous ski resorts in Northern Norway The mountain that towers above the city offers panoramic views of the peaks beyond, the city below, and the fjords snaking out to the open ocean. Check the Narvikfjellet resort website for details on the season You needn't miss out on the spectacular views from Narvikfjellet The cable car ride to the summit at 2,152 feet above sea level is well worth it for the views alone although you might want to wait to judge the weather on the day before committing to a ticket Summer view from Narvikfjellet mountain in Northern Norway cable car visitors can also enjoy a light lunch and refreshing drink at the mountain restaurant Choose to descend back to the city by cable car or take a hike along the picturesque mountain road where you’ll meet the grazing goats you’ll need to be physically active and willing to be out in the cold for a few hours the northern lights is a big tourist attraction in and around the Narvik area If you’re visiting between late September and early April it’s possible to see the aurora from Narvik thanks to its frequent clear skies and lack of artificial light pollution An hour or so north of Narvik, Polar Park is a must for animal lovers or those interested in Arctic nature In addition to the rare opportunity to enter the wolf enclosure and meet these remarkable creatures The Netflix Top 10 lists rarely surprise as much as they have today has found a bit of success only two days after it hit the battlefield Narvik is not the name of any character in the film.  you can impress your friends by explaining is a town in the Nordland county area of Norway and its importance here is something your history buff friends are ready to explain.  considering that the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregation site only has two reviews (which are positive we should note) tied to the film at the time of publication But none of this answers the question on your mind: should you watch Narvik tonight The battles of Narvik took place in June 1940 as Adolf Hitler's army invaded neutral Norway And the Narvik film focuses on a personal story nestled within the larger geopolitical one: that of Korporal Gunnar Tofte (Carl Martin Eggesbø) his wife Ingrid (Kristine Hartgen) is forced to work for the Nazis as a translator a young boy named Ole (Christoph Gelfert Mathiesen) who is cared for by Aslak (Stig Henrik Hoff) Netflix because there isn't even an official trailer with English-language subtitles But while Ingrid is working for the Germans, she's also betraying them when helping the British consul with intel and other important help.  Narvik has basically emerged under the cover of night we have found some — and they're not uniform in their sentiment ReadySteadyCut's M.N Miller writes "Erik Skjoldbjærg’s film is a stunning-looking war film that’s naturally gripping and does an above-average job playing up the moral dilemmas At Decider writing that her performanc is "terrific," before crediting her as "fully capable of holding Narvik together and maintaining our emotional involvement." The other reports we've found come from outlets that don't have as much of a proven track record Sourav Chakraborty at Sportskeeda wasn't pleased with the film writing that "Although the film aimed to be realistic and composed the director fell short in his execution by neglecting to place equal emphasis on the film's characters and plot leaving the audience without the emotional investment that elevates even the most average war film to something truly memorable." Roger Moore of the blog Movie Nation is positive about the film who directed the Norwegian thrillers 'Pioneer' and 'Pyromaniac,' gets maximum suspense out of the stand-offs and visceral action out of the firefights and a tense attempt to dynamite a bridge The measure of a combat thriller director is how she or he stages the harrowing business of “taking out that machine gun nest,” and Skjoldbjærg passes that with ease." Narvik's success on stateside-Netflix proves that the love of war movies and dramas is stronger than our decreasing resistance to watching movies with subtitles we recommend that war movie lovers should watch Narvik but consider bowing out if its characters don't connect.  Henry T. CaseySocial Links NavigationManaging Editor (Entertainment Streaming)Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media reviewing devices and services for the past seven years he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats interviewing athletes and other industry veterans I had to take a brief break from the travel series Not only do kittens demand a lot of their human’s time they haven’t learned the fine points of etiquette — such as not walking all over the laptop This diary was put together in between visits with the kitten Norway and Sweden have such spectacular scenery that it’s hard to pick out one segment of the trip as being the best alternating between coastal vistas and snowy mountains with an incredible number of tunnels in between Scandinavian Travel Diary, Part 1 - High Speed Train from Copenhagen to Stockholm Scandinavia Travel, Part 2 - North from Stockholm on the Night Train Scandinavia Travel Part 3 - Beyond the Arctic Circle by Train Scandinavia Travel Part 4 - Walking Tour of Narvik, Norway The bus station was about 20 minutes away by foot from my rental in Narvik The bus left at the inconvenient hour of 7:00am I set the alarm for 5:30 to allow plenty of time trying not to remind myself that back home in Georgia it was 11:30 at night One oddity of the trip is that tickets are not available in advance When I presented my credit card to the bus driver he told me something in Norwegian that indicated that there was a problem I asked if he spoke English; he spoke well enough to explain that the pay terminal wasn’t working The first critical choice was where to sit I was going to miss out on half of the scenery we passed a farm with two animals in the field I must have set some kind of record for turning on the camera One surprise of my trip was that I didn’t see many large animals other than a few cattle During the thirty minute crossing to Bognes passengers could roam around the ferry or go inside to the lounge I took a few pictures before heading to the lounge for coffee and another round of caffeine was in order The bus we’d been riding would pick up new passengers It was here that the mystery of how to pay for the trip was solved I paid the driver of the second bus for the entire fare Where else can you pack so much scenery into a thirty dollar trip I mentioned that there were tunnels everywhere I only attempted one picture inside a tunnel We made a quick stop at the village of Tømmerneset We gained elevation and passed through mountains deep in snow the reflections were nearly mirror images of the mountains which is conveniently shared by the bus and rail lines here is a video from rail.cc describing the bus trip going in the opposite direction that I went The video includes some excellent drone footage On March 11 the Total Defence will conduct a full-scale exercise involving the Armed Forces The exercise will involve realistic scenarios with a focus on cooperation between the public agencies Press contacts for the Norwegian Armed Forces: Read more about Joint Viking 2025 here Val Gardena in Italy will host the Championship two years later. The 2029 Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships heads to Zhangjiakou in China, but the proposed FIS Games for 2018 suffers a setback. Iceland ahead of the 55th International Ski Congress the Norwegian resort of Narvik received 11 votes with eight going to Val Gardena in Italy and one to Soldeu in Andorra had 14 votes for Val Gardena and 6 for Soldeu The International Ski & Snowboard Federation also announced that the proposed awarding the hosting of the FIS Games 2028 has been postponed FIS has been in discussions with Swiss-Ski and the candidate resort Engadine/St “We have been having very constructive discussions and making clear progress which we want to ensure is a flagship event for snow sports,” said the FIS President “This summer we expect to iron out all the open questions and reach a conclusion.” See here for earlier PlanetSKI articles on the FIS Games: Narvik 🇳🇴 gets 2029 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships — FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) June 4, 2024 “This is a monumental day for Norwegian skiing,” said the president of the Norwegian Ski Federation “The FIS World Championships is one of the world’s largest sporting events “Norway has long been recognized as a top alpine nation and now we can finally host the Alpine World Championships at home.” Narvik sits inside the Arctic Circle and is one of PlanetSKI’s favourite resorts in Scandinavia See here for our full reports from PlanetSKI editor to see what Narvik is like and why you might want to add it to your bucket-list: Here is a full list of the competitions awarded: The candidature of Lahti (FIN) to host the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2029 did not meet some of the requirements to be formally appointed and will now have 30 days to submit its case to the FIS Council This post contains spoilers for "Narvik: Hitler's First Defeat." Perhaps more importantly, the film excels at portraying the effects of the war on the civilians of the eponymous Norwegian town, forcing them to fend for themselves while opposing forces use them for their own benefit (without a care for those caught in the middle). But while the film is a fine summary of the battle and its importance and impact, the true story behind the movie is even more fascinating and tragic. Let's break it down. The excuse is that the Germans are here to "protect" Norway's neutrality against aggression from the British. This is April 9, 1940, the start of the German occupation of Norway, which was mostly a means of securing the iron ore supply. Quickly, the German forces overrun the town and set up a base at the Toftes' hotel and nearby buildings, forcing the civilians out of their homes while serving smiles and pretenses about paying compensation for the disturbance. With the Norwegian troops out of Narvik, it is the British that try to take down the German fleet stationed at the nearby Ofotfjord, and manage to defeat the Nazi fleet. In the film, Gunnar is taken prisoner for a few weeks, and only escapes when French and Polish troops arrive in Norway for the counterattack. In reality, troops from France, the U.K., and Poland joined the Norwegian Army for several battles in the area surrounding Narvik all throughout May. The Allied troops severely outnumbered the Germans, and they started advancing and defeating the Germans they faced on the way to the town. However, due to differences in command, Norway still acted independently and neutral from the Allies — meaning, there was never a unified plan of how to retake the railway. At the same time, we also follow the civilians living in Narvik during the occupation. Ingrid is forced to work for the Germans as an interpreter, while also helping hide the British consul. It becomes clear that, for the neutral civilians of Narvik, both belligerent forces are bad. Unfortunately, talk about Ingrid being a Nazi collaborator (as well as a favorite of the Nazi commander) quickly spread around town, and she makes the choice to leave Narvik to avoid becoming a pariah. Even her husband, once they are reunited, snaps at her and calls her a traitor for her actions of helping the enemy. But for Ingrid, there was no ally and enemy, just outsiders destroying the town. The Germans took their homes, but the British killed them. By the end of May, 1940, it became clear that the Germans would be driven out of the country and victory was at sight. Sadly, the taste of victory would be bittersweet in retrospect. At the same time, the invasion of France was raging on, the British government had decided to evacuate London, and other battles across Europe took precedence in the eyes of the Allies. The decision was made to evacuate all Allied forces from the port of Narvik after it was retaken. Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb A view of Narvik and the Ofotfjord from the Fagernes mountain "Narvik offers something unique to the world We have spent much time showing the FIS how Northern Norway can promote such an event it is entirely unique that 80 municipalities stand together with national authorities behind a World Championships application Narvik in Northern Norway was recently appointed host of the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2029. "We are now looking forward to the next stage together with the FIS and many others,” says Chairman Knut-Eirik Dybdal Read in Norwegian. Last week, the majority of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) voted for Narvik and the Narvikfjellet Ski Resort as the venue for the world's second-largest winter sports event. The vote occurred at a meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, where the 55th International Ski Congress was organized last Wednesday. Narvik received 11 votes in the first round, Val Gardena, Italy, received eight, and Soledu, Andorra, received one. The Norwegian ski sector and Northern Norway have promoted the World Championship project through close cooperation for many years, states Knut-Eirik Dybdal, Chairman of Narvik 2029 (Alpin VM 2029 AS). "We are now looking forward to the next stage together with the FIS, the municipalities, the business sector, and many others. I am humble in the face of the demanding work that awaits us, but we are first and foremost looking forward to creating a wonderful World Cup," says Dybdal. "This is a fantastic day for skiing Norway, Northern Norway, and Narvik. Many have made this possible: strong Northern Norwegian forces, national authorities, and the FIS," adds Narvik's Mayor Rune Edvardsen (Labor). Se dette innlegget på Instagram Et innlegg delt av Narvik2029 (@narvik2029awsc) will contribute with research and innovation to find environmentally sustainable solutions for the ski world Narvik 2029 and UiT have previously entered into a strategic cooperation agreement to make the major winter sports event in the university town a showcase for the use of new technology and sustainable measures A central part of the agreement is competence building and development of research and innovation projects. Together the parties have identified several relevant areas for collaboration and sustainable technology regarding the lighting of trails and production of TV broadcasts "We are ready to embark on the projects that the ski sector and many others will have use for and we have four years to come up with good answers," says CEO Erik Plener.  "We are looking forward to contributing with relevant research as well as supporting the organizers in other ways," states Rikke Gürgens Gjærum which is located close to the alpine slope The university will also contribute with innovative measures for heating buildings and provide premises during the 2029 Alpine World Ski Championships Chairs of Committees in the Nordland County Council from the left: Kim Haugan Schei (Center) The governing parties in Nordland County Council wants increased investments in critical infrastructure in Narvik and Ofoten and encourages the government and parliament to prioritize a double track on the Ofoten Railway Read in Norwegian. "I'd claim that the Ofoten Line was the most important railway line in Norway also before Sweden and Finland entered NATO as it is not "just" about business anymore particularly after the government launched a very expansive long-term defense plan." That is stated by the Conservative's Chair of Committee Stig Tore Skogsholm in Nordland County Council in a press release Together with the other Nordland County Council Chairs of Committees from the Center Party the Liberal Party,  and the Progress Party Skogsholm emphasizes the importance of increased investment in critical infrastructure in the Narvik and Ofoten region.  This transport investment mainly concerns a double track on the Ofoten Line and an E6 tunnel through the Narvik center in Northern Norway "There is too little understanding of the importance of the Ofoten Line the amount of goods being transported here and its role considering industry and businesses and the defense of Norway," the Center Party's Kim Haugan Schei points out Increased investment in critical infrastructure in the Ofoten region is necessary for both the business sector and to ensure efficient mobilization and support for the Armed Forces and our allies says the Progress Party Chair of Committee Rune Østergren pointing out that the Ofoten Line and the Narvik tunnel are closely connected and critical in a preparedness context "A double track has been a topic on and off for too long but we cannot escape the fact that a double track is what we need and must have," he adds In a statement Østergren emphasizes that resolving bottlenecks and ensuring reliable infrastructure is essential for businesses and growth with great potential for the High North Fremover writes that the statement has not yet been adopted, but Østergren tells the newspaper that almost all the parties have signed it as co-proposers. The County Council is currently gathered in Svolvær The 227 meter long vehicle carrier Arc Integrity on the 24th of April made port call in the Narvik Harbour On board was several hundred pieces of equipment that are to be applied in a series of NATO training operations in northern Europe The equipment belongs to the US Army 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division and will be applied in the allied exercise Immediate Response 2024 (IR24) The exercise includes allied training in Norway Czechia and Poland in the period between 21st of April - 31st of May More than 24,000 troops are to participate the equipment will be put on trains for transportation to Sweden and further to Finland The entry into the alliance of Sweden and Finland now opens up for smooth transportation of allied goods and personell across the Nordic borders Norway practices its role as transit country for allied troops that are heading to Sweden and Finland,” representatives of the Norwegian Armed Forces say As soon as the military transport moves across the border from Narvik to Sweden “During the Immediate Response, American units will under guidance of the Swedish Armed Forces move from the border to Norway, through Norbotten and to Borden. Thereafter, the transport will proceed to Finland via Haparanda and Pello,” the Swedish Military informs The logistic operation is expected to last about a week Energy company Statkraft has joined counterpart Aker Horizons as a partner on the large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia project in Narvik The Narvik plant has a planned capacity of up to 600 MW and is said to be one of the first large-scale plants for green ammonia in Europe with an expected production of 1,000 – 1,500 tons per day The project aims to reach the final investment decision (FID) in 2025 and plans to start commercial operations in 2028 the project team from both companies will develop and mature the project together with the aim of establishing a jointly owned company Noting that the company has already signed letters of intent (LoI) with several European energy Aker Horizons said that Narvik Green Ammonia will also look for opportunities for collaboration with possible offtakers in Norway To remind, the project entered into a long-term power agreement with Statkraft some months ago “A partnership between Statkraft and Aker Horizons makes for a powerful combination The companies complement each other well and share a common ambition to provide a significant contribution to the green transition and the development of green industry and jobs,” said Knut Nyborg stated: “Collaborating with Aker Horizons to develop a large-scale green ammonia project in Narvik fits well with our ambition to become a significant player in the market for green hydrogen and hydrogen-based energy products Statkraft wants to build new green industry based on renewable energy Through the production of an industrial product such as green ammonia we can contribute both to cutting emissions driving the transition necessary and creating jobs locally.” is expected to grow significantly in the coming decade notably as fuel for heavy-duty transport and shipping Aker Horizons emphasized the EU’s target to produce 10 million tons and import 10 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030 as well as Germany’s hydrogen support schemes “The Norwegian and German governments have established a joint task force to work on enabling the large-scale supply of hydrogen from Norway to Germany by 2030 The partnership established between Statkraft and Aker Horizons constitutes an important step forward in positioning Narvik Green Ammonia to contribute to this supply,” remarked Sverre Isak Bjørn 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 The mining company LKAB must wait even longer before resuming railway transport of iron ore to the Port of Narvik after the derailment on the Iron Ore Line The company sends about 6800 tons of iron ore products per train between eight and ten iron ore trains travel daily to Narvik The opening of traffic on the railway line between Kiruna and Narvik has been postponed numerous times since the middle of December The concluding work on the Iron Ore Line is still affected by cold weather and large amounts of snow and the Swedish Transport Administration is once again postponing the expected traffic resumption date Norsk versjon. The traffic on the Iron Ore Line did not resume yesterday as planned That is reported by the Swedish Transport Administration in a press release A fully loaded iron ore train derailed mid-December on the railway line at Vassijaure in Northern Norway The derailment caused extensive damage to a 15-kilometer-long stretch the derailment has halted all train traffic on the railway stretch between Kiruna in Northern Sweden and Narvik in Northern Norway The Swedish Transport Administration first announced a possible resumption at the beginning of January and a lot of snow have led to several postponements and we must have an approved railway facility when traffic resumes The final parts of the restoration work have been affected by a lot of time spent clearing snow," says Simon Sunna, Acting Head of the Northern Railway Unit in the Swedish Transport Administration "We still want to report on as much as possible in this situation which is why we now are informing that traffic sadly cannot be resumed on February 8th do not want to set an exact date for traffic resumption but our absolute hope is that it will happen next week." The halt in train traffic towards Narvik affects the mining company LKAB, among others, which has iron ore products worth SEK billions on hold after the derailment. said to High North News that the Iron Ore Line's capacity was already limited before the derailment and it could take years before the company delivered all its products to the customers "These are volumes that correspond to approximately 400 fully loaded ore trains We usually run ten ore trains a day between Kiruna and Narvik these will be used to transport the daily production," said Lindberg Colonel May Brith Valen-Odlo is head of the Army's Trenregimentet This unit is responsible for supporting the Army through operating the defense branch's bases The unit also carries the main responsibility for looking after allied land and marine infantry units in connection with training Narvik (High North News): The exercise Immediate Response has commenced Tons of US military equipment arrived in Narvik last week and is to be transported into the Nordic region for further military training Norway's role as a transit country is being practiced in light of NATO's Nordic expansion Norwegian version. the enormous cargo ship Arc Integrity docked in the Port of Narvik in the Ofoten Fjord in Northern Norway The ship's arrival marked the beginning of the military exercise "Immediate Response 2024," which is part of  Defender 24 The exercise will practice the dynamic employment of forces to Europe for NATO deterrence and enhanced readiness.  Tons of US equipment and materials belonging to the US 10th Mountain Division have been shipped with Arc Integrity over the Atlantic to Narvik This is to be transported on roads and railway through Sweden and into the exercise "Northern Forest" in Finland Immediate Response 2024 consists of several activities from April 21st to the end of May American forces will train together with several other NATO countries There will be training activities in Denmark The cargo ship Arc Integrity docked in Narvik on Wednesday morning.The Port of Narvik is a gateway to Northern Norway and the other Nordic countries in the North "This operation is important within the NATO framework It shows the Americans' ability and will to deploy rapidly and our ability to receive and be a transit country," Colonel May Brith Valen-Odlo tells High North News Valen-Odlo is the head of Trenregimentet in the Norwegian Army The unit has been assigned responsibility for host country support for allies arriving in Norway if these are to operate in the Army's territory we could quickly become a transit country [in crisis or conflict and send them through Sweden and Finland," she adds Colonel May Britt Valen-Odlo and Trenregimentet carried out host country support on behalf of the Army "And we have never really carried out this particular movement before," continues the colonel referring to the American troop movement through the Nordic neighbor countries When the Armed Forces received allies at the Port of Narvik on previous occasions the objective was training and exercising within the country's borders Norway is used as a transit country for movement into our neighbor countries that have become part of NATO," explains Valen-Odlo She also points out the increased significance of Ofoten and the Port of Narvik as logistic hubs in the High North with Sweden and Finland becoming NATO members "We have built up a lot of infrastructure in this area and Inner Troms to receive allies here to support us the Port of Narvik will be an important hub for us going forward," she says or High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, lined up outside the cargo ship Arc Integrity.  The rest of the logistics operation that is being carried out in the days after the docking includes transporting large amounts of equipment by road and railway "Between 300-350 containers and up to 250 vehicles will be transported but most of it will be sent by road," said Valen-Odlo and added: "The Ofoten Line could easily play a bigger part Transport by train is both cheaper and more efficient." Major Vonnie Wright is the Public Affairs Officer in the 21st Theater Sustainment Command in the US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) The force contributes with support within military logistics in the US European Command's operational area Arc Integrity has sailed across the Atlantic for about two weeks Another ship has also docked in Denmark to carry out a similar operation there.  Most of the equipment on the Arc Integrity belong to the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division which will participate in the exercise in Finland This force is based in the state of Louisiana and is a CONUS-based force which are forces based on the continental US American military vehicles on the cargo ship Arc Integrity The ship has equipment distributed over 8 floors the forces in question will be supported by the 21st Theather Sustainment Command of the US Army Europe and Africa The command sets the theater for operations, this time in the initial part of Immediate Response in Narvik "This entails gathering equipment and soldiers and distributing them out and further into the operational area We are currently focusing on the High North," says Public Affairs Officer Major Vonnie Wright of the 21st Theather Sustainment Command to HNN.   "The main portion of this part of the exercise practices how rapidly we can get the soldiers and the equipment into Europe if a crisis or conflict were to occur." Defender 24 is the largest US Army exercise in Europe and takes place from April 4th to May 31st and 23,000 multi-national service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations Exercise activities will take place in 13 European countries Linked to NATO's series of exercises Steadfast Defender 2024, NATO's largest military exercise since the Cold War. The latter started on January 22nd and lasts until June. It functions as a umbrella for a series of large national and multinational exercises. Commander of the 838th Transportation Battalion in the 598th Transportation Brigade of the US Army The historic movement from the US to Narvik has naturally required extensive planning on the part of the various actors on the American and Norwegian sides James Acevedo is the Commander of the 838th Transportation Battalion which belongs to the 598th Transportation Brigade of the US Army and is one of the key actors in coordinating the port operation "I am in charge of all the ports north of the Alps in Europe We are responsible for bringing in tens of thousands of soldiers and equipment in to support Defender 24," says the Lieutenant Colonel Commander of the 838th Transportation Battalion shows materials and vehicles loaded on the ship "Part of the mission is to make sure we are setting the conditions for the deployment of forces in support of the exercise We have a port management team here along with a team of Port Support Activity as well as personnel to safely drive the vehicles of the ship." we have support from the host nation Norway to ensure a successful deployment of the equipment and mission," concludes Acevedo the railway tracks are just behind the ship Narvik and Ofoten are now set to become one of NATO's strategic hubs in the North The wagons were empty and the speed was reduced after the line was repaired Wagons again jumped off track on the troubled railway going from the mining town of Kiruna in northern Sweden to the Norwegian deep sea port of Narvik “Initiating a preliminary investigation in similar events is a routine measure that enables more investigative measures,” the Swedish police said in a statement, according to broadcaster SVT “The investigation will take time given the conditions that exist with extensive damage over a large geographical area in difficult-to-access terrain,” the police says “It is currently impossible to forecast when traffic can resume on the route,” says Simon Sunna head of the railway section with the Swedish Transport Administration Sunna admits “It feels very sad that this is happening so near-time to the latest derailment.” The incident happened just six kilometres north of Vassijaure where an iron-ore train derailed in December The Swedish Transport Administration and BDX Rail have replaced 25,000 sleepers The first loaded train went from Kiruna towards Narvik on February 20 iron-ore had been piling up in Kiruna since the week before Christmas Logistic manager Linda Bjurholt with LKAB at the time said revenue losses for the mining company were about SEK 100 million [€8,8 million] a day LKAB sends ten full-loaded trains a day to the port in Narvik for shipments to the European market That counts for about two-thirds of LKAB’s deliveries continues with four to five trains each day but there is no capacity to compensate for what is shipped via Narvik LKAB’s Linda Bjurholt calls for double tracks on the line we are now seeing the consequences of the limited capacity Malmbanan has which we have been talking about for so long we would have been able to increase traffic south towards Luleå harbor and the consequences would not have been so long-lasting Now we have had to put products in stock that will be very difficult to deliver to the customers within a reasonable time,” she says NOTE: This article was updated at 14.45 CET with information that the police suspects sabotage The four Nordic chiefs of Defense from Norway and Denmark agree on a joint professional military plan which deals with how the countries can cooperate in receiving allied reinforcements says Norway's Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen to VG (Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold/the Norwegian Armed Forces) the four Nordic Chiefs of Defense will present a plan for how the countries can coordinate their defenses Norway's Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen stresses the Ofotfjord and the Port of Narvik in Northern Norway as central in securing allied reinforcements to the Nordic region.  The four Nordic Chiefs of Defense now agree on joint advice to give their respective governments on how the countries can coordinate their defenses when Sweden and Finland join NATO. That is reported by VG. Norway's Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen will forward the Nordic recommendation to the Norwegian Ministry of Defense Kristoffersen says that a prominent point in the Nordic plan is to coordinate the reception of allied reinforcements He further emphasizes four very central fjords and ports for securing allied military reinforcements to the whole of the Nordic region These are the Ofotfjord with its ice-free port in Narvik the Trondheimsfjord in the middle of Norway If the Chiefs of Defense's joint defense plan is approved, it will lead to an increase in training activities in and around the Ofotfjord, writes Fremover. Kristoffersen says to the newspaper that the significance of the Ofotfjord has increased since 2014 after a scale-down until the turn of the millennium.  but there is and has been a significant investment in both Ramsund and Bjerkvik," he says and adds: "There will be more training and there will be an increase of activity above the Port of Narvik." The Port of Narvik is a core network port in the EU and EEA area and the Ofototen Railway is part of the same core network of border crossing corridors and Finland have cooperated closely over many years including in the Nordic Defense Cooperation which also includes Iceland As High North News has previously reported the four Chiefs of Defense have discussed a new format for the military exercise Cold Response will aim towards this joint military exercise which will take place in the winter of 2024 and which will test the Nordic defense cooperation This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen The Home Guard is in charge of force protection when the Americans arrive at the Port of Narvik this week (Archive photo: the Norwegian Armed Forces) a US ship with military personnel will arrive in Narvik in connection with the military exercise Immediate Response 2024 Several hundred American vehicles and containers will be unloaded in the Port of Narvik to be further transported via Sweden to an exercise in Finland Les på norsk The Ofoten region and the port of Narvik in Northern Norway will serve as the entrance to Sweden and Finland during the major military exercise Immediate Response 2024 an American ship will arrive in the Port of Narvik on April 24th where it will unload over 200 vehicles and more than 300 containers That is revealed in a press release from the Norwegian Army The US force arriving in Norway is the US Army 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the 10th Mountain Division to Finland for further exercise activities personnel and material will be transported by train and road to Finland via Sweden Immediate Response will practice Norway's role as a transit country for allied forces going to Sweden and Finland There will be border crossing over Bjørnfjell and transport of personnel and material through Sweden to the training area for the Northern Forest exercise in which a Norwegian force from the Finnmark Land Defense (FLF) also will participate which is part of the series of exercises called Steadfast Defender consists of several activities between April 21st to May 31st Exercise activities will be held in Denmark More than 10,000 from the US and over 12,000 soldiers from NATO and partner countries are participating There are also participants from the Czech Republic American forces will exercise with several NATO countries The exercise showcases the US' ability and will to rapidly reinforce and defend Europe This is practiced under the exercise umbrella Steadfast Defender which takes place throughout 2024 and which Immediate Response is part of.