Store Norske is taking in vessels from Østensjø Rederi on one of the most ambitious environmental projects in Norway.
“When Svea Nord was closed in March 2020, a new camp was established at Kapp Amsterdam with associated functions such as workshop and power station. In August, the airport closes down, so we need vessels to transport to and from Longyearbyen. In addition, today’s camp will be demolished, including places to stay, so the barracks will be moved from land to vessel,” says Jan Morten Ertsaas, CEO of Store Norske.
It is the vessels “Edda Ferd” and “Edda Sun” from Østensjø Rederi that will be used until December 2022.
“This is an exotic job for our offshore vessels that are usually in the North Sea. It is nice that the vessels are used in a project with great environmental benefits and this shows that existing tonnage can be adapted and used across segments and operations,” says Kristian Helland Vea, CEO of Østensjø Rederi.
“We have extensive experience with this type of work, and we are expanding the capacity of “Edda Sun” and Edda Ferd” to meet the requirements of this project,” says Hilde Svendsen, CCO at Østensjø Rederi.
Back to nature
After almost 100 years of coal production, the mining community in Svea is returned to the wild. Buildings and infrastructure will be removed, including roads, tank facilities, power stations, and an airport. When the area is abandoned, the glaciers and mountainsides should appear as unaffected as possible. And when the last industrial worker leaves the area, it stays in a vessel.
“The workers will go on a 14-day shift, and now we have ensured that they are well taken care of,” says Gudmund Løvli, Project Manager at Store Norske.
The environmental project is a major investment and is financed annually over the central government budget up to 2024. It is an extensive project with demanding framework conditions and high-quality requirements. The closure of Svea airport on 1 August is an important milestone in the project.
“This is a unique project for Østensjø Rederi. We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with Store Norske, and excited to be part of such an ambitious environmental project,” says Vea at Østensjø Rederi.
“It was important for us to use a solid shipping company and have emphasized that the crew on these vessels have Norwegian working conditions. Now we can complete the project in a good way,” says Ertsaas of Store Norske.