The port is investigating the possibility of a new ferry call to the Netherlands

Port of Kristiansand IKS has in its strategy that we will work to establish a new ferry call to the Netherlands. We have been specific that we welcome more destinations.

We have a ripple effect analysis that says something about the sizes we operate with far beyond the port's areas. We are, and have always been, a port city. And with the commitment we see around the ferry terminal these days, we are confident that we will continue to be a port city for all time to come.

There is no doubt that the ferry terminal is important for the entire port, but the port is so much more than just ferries. Our most important business areas are:
 

•  passenger transportation that includes both ferry traffic and cruises.
• goods that include both container and rolling cargo, as well as other bulk and general cargo.
•  property, which includes all areas such as quay fronts, back areas, warehouses, office buildings, etc. that are essential for port operations and for the operators working in the port.
•  offshore activities that today provide major ripple effects for the region in terms of maintenance, repairs and new systems, as we already have a more than solid value chain in this area in our region.
•  fisheries, which is a regionally important industry that we at the port want to help to boost by facilitating our position as Southern Norway's leading fishing port.

The infrastructure at the ferry terminal has two ferry berths that are busy with calls for much of the morning and afternoon. In high season, the call times are even closer. A ferry terminal requires check-in systems, ISPS fences for security, parking spaces for vehicles and customs clearance. No matter how much we want a new initiative for Kristiansand and the region, we have a responsibility as a responsible company to look after the companies that operate in the port now and have done so for a long time.

We are affected by infrastructure projects around us. The new E39 and Gartnerløkka will affect the capacity we have for entry and parking spaces at the ferry berth. This is a big challenge with planned calls with Color Line and Fjord Line that already operate in the port. From February this year, Fjord Line has also added an extra call from our city and ferry terminal. We should be happy about this, that the junction from the continent ends up here where the E39 meets both E18 and Highway 9.

Several actors who mention Kongsgård / Vige as an alternative. There are also major projects planned for the near future here. Firstly, Nye Veier will build the route of the E18 at the entrance and exit to the port areas on the land side of the fjord. There will be a lot of surplus rock here that is planned to go to the port and must be stored in Kongsgård .

It has been decided that during the current four-year period the container terminal will be moved from the city centre to Kongsgård / Vige. This is a process that requires a lot of space in the relocation. Here too, Kristiansand Port IKS has a responsibility to ensure that ordinary port activity is maintained as far as possible so that this does not affect the ripple effects the container terminal and offshore activities have on local and regional businesses.

In connection with the relocation of the container terminal, Vige harbour road must be improved to ensure safety in the movement of containers and vehicles. It is also important to note that if we are to receive a ferry from the continent, we must also ensure that everything on land such as customs, border control, ticket booths and parking spaces are in place.

So it is clear that the municipality itself has wanted to see a creative development of Caledonien and Lagmannsholmen as an important part of the urban development in Kristiansand. Perhaps we should now include ferry quays and joint use of these areas that already have the basis needed to get a third ferry berth? Because where many remember that Romantika docked, we also had challenges with capacity on the quayside, the ramps and handling of passenger and car traffic. The offer that has now been submitted requires a completely different size of quay front and rear area. We are talking about ships that are of a completely different size than Holland Norway Line's Romantika, which is why there is also a completely different arrangement that needs to be put in place.

The crystal ball shows that we can achieve this in the long term. But we must be able to look at the scope of possibilities 3-5 years ahead and not just what is coming today.

The infrastructure at the ferry terminal will be significantly improved when the E18 Gartnerløkka - Kolsdalen is completed. This will give us back an important part of the land that will function as construction land for the road project until 2029. In the long term, the Inner Harbour will therefore be able to be improved with a third ferry berth by 2029.

Caledonien and Lagmannsholmen will be able to give the city a wealth of opportunities for both ferry traffic and tourism, as well as urban development, if we can manage to keep both thoughts in mind at the same time.

Kongsgård / Vige will give the container terminal a completely new reality which in turn will have ripple effects on industry and business. This area will also be able to provide much more to the offshore industry in the future. If we are to look at the medium-short term Kongsgård / Vige as a temporary area for the ferry, this area must be shared with container handling.

A direct port of call to the continent, for example the Netherlands, will give the city and the region a boost in tourism as we saw with HN Lines, the city center and hotels will see growth again, as will the port.

"We very much welcome this initiative. We can see the benefits for both the municipality and the region with a port call in the Netherlands. However, we must remember that a port is more than just a ferry.