The Finnafjord Port (Icelandic: Finnafjörður [ˈfɪnnaˌfjœrðʏr̥]) is a proposed deepwater port and industrial site in Iceland.[1] Construction is expected to begin between 2021 and 2023 and will continue until at least 2040.[2]
| Finnafjord Port | |
|---|---|
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
Native name | Finnafjörður |
| Location | |
| Country |  Iceland |
| Coordinates | 66°06′22″N 15°09′01″W / 66.1062°N 15.1502°W |
| Details | |
| Operated by |  Bremenports GmbH |
Background
editIn recent years, Trans-polar shipping along the Northeast Passage has become more viable due to the decline of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. If Arctic Sea Ice continues to shrink, the Northeast Passage could become navigable year-round, significantly reducing the journey from Asia to the United States.[3][4]
In 2013, the Icelandic engineering firm EFLA and Bremenports GmbH, which manages the Ports of Bremen in Germany, announced they would investigate the viability of an Arctic trans-shipment hub in Finnafjord.[5][6][7]
In 2019, Bremenports announced it had entered into a joint venture agreement with EFLA to construct the port. Currently, Bremenports owns 66% of the port, EFLA owns 26%, and the nearby municipalities of Vopnafjarðarhreppur and Langanesbyggð own 8%.[2]
EFLA claims that the port could be a distribution hub for offshore Arctic oil and mineral resources in Greenland and Iceland.[1][4]
Location
editThe Finnafjord Port is located south of the Langanes Peninsula in the Eastern Region.[8] Like many fjords in Iceland, Finnafjord is rich with gravel, which could be used to build up the harbor facility near the coast.[1] The waters around Iceland are ice-free year round due to the Gulf Stream.[9]
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "The Finnafjord Port Project" (PDF). EFLA.
- ^ a b "Arctic shipping: Finnafjord Port Project aims to serve growing Arctic routes". www.ship-technology.com. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
- ^ "Bremenports Signs Agreement for New Icelandic Seaport". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ a b "Iceland Builds Arctic Port as Global Shipping Routes Get Redrawn". Bloomberg.com. 2019-04-11. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- ^ "A new project in Iceland|News". EFLA-engineers.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Milne, Richard (July 21, 2013). "Arctic shipping set for record as sea ice melts". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Humpert, Malte (November 2013). "The Future of Arctic Shipping: A New Silk Road for China?" (PDF). The Arctic Institute. p. 12. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ Humpert, Malte. "Iceland Invests in Arctic Shipping With Development of Finnafjord Deep-Water Port". www.highnorthnews.com. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- ^ "Finnafjord The Finnafjord". bremenports.de. Archived from the original on 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2021-03-05.