Hurtigruten only runs between Bodø and Kirkenes in the future: demands that the government put more ships into operation – NRK

Hurtigruten is one of several companies that have suffered during the corona pandemic.

In March, 14 ships were taken out of service. Towards the summer it recovered somewhat, but by September only five ships were back en route along the Norwegian coast.

In the same month, the number of ships between Bergen and Kirkenes was reduced to two.

The supply along the coast is now being reduced further, after the Ministry of Transport and Communications requested yesterday that the two remaining ships in the future will only sail the Bodø-Kirkenes-Bodø section:

From October 24 to 27, the two ships will serve the Bodø-Kirkenes-Bodø section. The scheme is applied until something else is decided.

SV Deputy Leader Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes believes the government prioritizes money over critical infrastructure and that this time it will affect Hurtigruten.

– In its 127-year history as the main coastal highway, Hurtigruta has been canceled once before, when the Germans invaded Norway in 1940. It is not understandable that the government does this.

Critical

Fylkesnes says the situation cuts off people’s livelihoods and assets.

And it puts seafarers on land in the middle of a crisis.

– Buses go, trains go, planes go, speedboats go. But the main coastal road is not that important to Erna Solberg. The Hurtigruten must always run. Therefore, we demand that the government deploy more ships to operate the route.

Labor MP Bjørnar Skjæran is also not happy:

– The state pays more than NOK 850 million this year for the purchase of transportation services from Hurtigruten. So one must be able to expect more than 20 percent of production to be delivered.

Parliamentary representative Åsunn Lyngedal (Labor Party) today asked the Minister of Transport and Communications what investigations were carried out on the consequences for businesses and the population along the coast south of Bodø before making his decision.

– The cuts will not be compensated, they do not have a time limit and they do not contribute predictability to the operation of the ports. Coastal communities fear a permanent closure of route supply, which will have dramatic consequences for coastal communities, he says.

– Good news, says breeder.

Frank Arne Hansen, Managing Director of Lerøy Norway Seafoods in Berlevåg, feared they had fewer calls, but today they have at least two.

Good news, but not great news, you think.

– Our goal is not necessarily for Hurtigruta to cut off half of Norway so that Northern Norway will be reimbursed.

– For us, it is important that we have that offer in order to optimize production, he tells NRK.

Hansen says that ideally they should have the opportunity to ship products every other day.

– We are a nature-based industry that depends on what the gods of the sea and climate provide. We know that these challenges also affect the Hurtigruten and Hurtigruten ports of call in Berlevåg.

– vulnerable

In Nordland, at the same time, Business Councilor Linda Helen Haukland (KrF) is advocating a debate about what the coastal route should really be.

– If you think in a slightly broader perspective, then Hurtigruta was something that would serve the coastal population and the coastal industry, with goods and passengers. And that had an important function.

– It is clear that this can be discussed. You can see how vulnerable this becomes with cruise ship tourism, which is now the focus. There is a somewhat broader discussion about the role of the coastal route, and it should have it as a social actor.

No one has wanted the situation society is in now, says Haukland.

At the same time, he believes that the time has come for a broader discussion:

– The profile you have today creates a great vulnerability with respect to the freight function. This is also a great debate about what kind of coastal route we should have in the future.

Hoping for better times

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Knut Arild Hareide (KrF), says that the current situation is regrettable.

But that due to covid-19 the traffic is very low.

– Few people travel. There is less freight traffic. And we know that Hurtigruten loses money, even with state aid.

More ships would result in significant sums, he continues.

– I also think that people would react if there were more ships in operation with very few passengers. There is less demand. We also know that these types of vessels have been infected. So this is a decline.

– I look forward to some time after covid-19 with a coastal route with 11 ships and full traffic. I think the coastal population and Hurtigruten also expect that.

– Is it relevant to deploy more ships?

– I will not refuse it if the Storting asks us to. But then there must be fresh money on the table. We cannot expect Hurtigruten to make big losses.

– Now we have thought that the north of Norway in this situation is the most important. This is where we have sections of road that, due to winter, will not be passable. So Hurtigruta is very important.