Hans J Marter

18 September 2007

FIVE shipping lines have been invited to tender for the proposed new cargo and passenger service between Kristiansund, in Norway, Shetland, and a not yet specified port on the UK mainland.

Norshukon, the consortium behind the initiative, said yesterday (Monday) that they were delighted with the response to their Europe wide advertising campaign which generated 11 expressions of interests.

The invited companies now have until 22 October to submit full tender documents. A preferred tender is expected to be appointed by early November.

Norshukon Link aims to provide a ‘Motorway of the Sea’ ferry link between mid Norway and the UK, possibly Rosyth or Newcastle, to move large amounts of cargo from road to sea transport which is deemed more environmentally friendly. The initiative also hopes to boost tourism to the area.

Involved in the project are Møregruppen AS, a Norwegian consortium of private and public interests, public investment firm Shetland Development Trust and ZetTrans, the Shetland Transport Partnership.

The group hopes to access European funding pots, in particular TEN-T funding, which have been set up to encourage more environmentally friendly transport links, and also improving access to remote regions and islands.