Norway

Cruise-ferries ‘welcome competition’

Views and News from Norway Published.

Cruise-ferry lines in Norway that run to Germany, Denmark and Sweden claim they welcome competition from a new player that announced its entry into the market this week. The recently formed Holland Norway Lines has launched plans to sail between Norway’s southern city of Kristiansand and Eemshaven in the Netherlands next spring.

“Competition is good and sharpens us all,” Nina Moland Andersen, sales and marketing chief for Norwegian-based Color Line, told state broadcaster NRK. “Even more people will be able to choose the sea route.”

Holland Norway Lines’ planned route using a vessel chartered from the Tallink Group, which is active in the Baltic, will take 18 hours and run three times a week from Kristiansand to Eemshaven.

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By James Cutright, ago
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Travel: Norway to ease entry and quarantine hotel restrictions

The Local no Published.

Norway will scrap quarantine hotels and ease entry restrictions for travellers from the UK and EEA or Schengen countries where infections are low enough, the government confirmed on Friday. 

The government also said it would scrap the distinction between ‘necessary’ and ‘unnecessary’ trips, meaning arrivals from the United Kingdom and EEA and Schengen countries will no longer need to enter quarantine hotels and can quarantine at home or another suitable location. 

“We are now changing the rules for quarantine hotels. We are removing the distinction between necessary and unnecessary travel when entering Norway, “

Justice Minister Monica Mæland said in a statement.

Previously those returning from unnecessary trips would have to enter quarantine hotels for a minimum of seven of Norway’s ten-day quarantine period. 

Those returning from essential trips were exempt. 

Essential trips included those taken to visit your children, go to a funeral, or to see a relative or close relation with a severe or terminal illness, as well as strictly necessary maintenance on a holiday home in Sweden or Finland. 

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By James Cutright, ago

Norway’s government grants over NOK 120 million compensation for festival sector

Norway News Published.

Many European governments realised how seriously the cultural sector has been affected by the impact of the ongoing pandemic. Norway is part of this group, where The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Culture secured more than NOK 120 million (€11.7 million) as a compensation for festival organisers and subcontractors.

The amount is distributed by Norway’s cultural council (Kulturradet), which has so far paid approximately NOK 1.4 billion to more than 2,000 applicants through various compensation packages for 2020. The latest one covers the period of May to August 2020 for some of the biggest players in Norway’s festival sector.

Kristin Danielsen, the director of the cultural council said:

“The largest players in the sector are also large employers and an important part of the cultural sector’s business chain. Therefore, I would have liked to have had the application process completed earlier.At the same time, it has been important for us to process the applications thoroughly. These are community funds, and it is our responsibility to manage them in the best possible way.”

The scheme is designed to compensate organisers and subcontractors that were financially impacted by the Norwegian government’s ban on live events which was extended into late 2020, causing the cancellation of the country’s biggest festivals. Following the example of Germany, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands, Norway’s ministry of culture also announced a NOK 350 million cancellation insurance fund for festivals earlier this month, allowing organisers to plan for this summer without the financial risk posed by a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

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By James Cutright, ago

Norway Launches Major Wind Power Research Center

Norway News Published.

The Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Tina Bru, announced an investment of 120 million NOK (€11.3 million) in a new wind power research center in Norway. The NorthWind research centre will be at the cutting edge, working on innovations to make wind power cheaper, more efficient, and more sustainable. One of the centre’s main priorities will be offshore wind research.

“Rapid growth in offshore wind power internationally offers great opportunities for Norwegian businesses. Research and development is crucial to secure lower costs, less environmental impact and improved operating models for such projects. I believe a longterm research centre with industry partners, the research community and the government will contribute to further development of offshore wind power in Norway,” said Tina Bru, Norway’s Petroleum and Energy Minister.

About NorthWind

NorthWind is financed by the Norwegian government through The Research Council of Norway. NorthWind is a Center for Environment-friendly Energy Research (FME) and will be in operation from 2020 to 2028. The Centers for Environment-friendly Energy Research carry out long-term research targeted towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and social science aspects of energy research.

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By James Cutright, ago