Summer greetings from Port Director Atle Johannessen

The total number of calls as of the first quarter of 2023 was 1,348. "We can see that we are beginning to approach a normal year in all business areas. The ferries are well underway and both Color Line and Holland Norway Lines have had regular calls in the first quarter, and at the end of March Fjord Line had its first ordinary call. The cruise season started in January and it looks set to be a record year. On the offshore side, we had far fewer vessels waiting for assignments in the first quarter, which means that activity is high in this market.  

At the ferry terminal, we have seen an increase in the number of calls from 257 in 2022 to 271 in 2023. This means that we are very close to what we call a normal year, i.e. the last year before the pandemic. It's also very nice to see that freight passing through the ferry terminal has increased from 130,500 tons in the normal year 2019 to 193,400 in 2023. 

In 2023, there have been a total of nine cruise calls in Kristiansand in the first quarter, where we have had 21 200 passengers. The Port of Kristiansand received its first cruise call "AIDAPrima" already in January and we are pleased to see that the cruise season is only getting longer and longer. The ship also had a successful connection to shore power. 

The volume of bulk/breakbulk cargo for the two port districts is increasing. We see a slight increase in the Lindesnes port district from 389,700 tons in 2022 to 395,000 tons in 2023. Over 90% of goods to and from the Lindesnes port district consist of stone, sand, shingle, gravel and timber. In the first trimester, we have had 392 fishery calls, an increase from 345 calls in 2022. 

We are pleased to see a great deal of activity related to the development of the various areas in the port. To name a few, we are working on the development of Fiskebasaren, Klevenkaien is about to be demolished and secured for future operations, several shore power facilities are planned, and we are applying for external funding through ENOVA for shore power infrastructure in Strømsviga and Havneavsnitt Nord. The Oslofjord project will continue throughout this year with a focus on an emission-free Oslofjord.  

We're looking forward to the fall, where we kick off the semester on August 31 with the Port Conference in Kilden!
 

Welcome and have a good summer, 

Atle Johannessen,  

Port director