An overall objective of the Norwegian transport policy is to provide an efficient and environmentally friendly transport system. In Norway, forestry and forest industries are highly transport-intensive sectors. Particularly, transportation of timber products in Coastal Norway is challenging and expensive. Reasons are relatively low-quality roads, bottlenecks along the transportation routes, long transportation distances, and also steep and difficult terrain. This leads to an increasing standing stock, more import of timber, and less use of regional timber. At the same time, there are ambitions to increase the harvest of wood in Norway.
The major part of transportation is carried out by trucks all the way from the harvest area to the customers. A minor part is trucked to quays and transported further by sea. But sea transportation has the potential to be a low cost alternative. Sea transportation, and availability and efficient operation of appropriate quay facilities are crucial for improving timber logistics and reducing transportation costs.
This project will contribute to new knowledge on efficient use of sea transportation and efficient quay operations within the forest value chain, in order to increase the quantities of timber and wood related products transported by ship in Coastal Norway. Hence, the project will also help to stimulate regional growth and use of local timber in the Norwegian forest industry.
A number of cases from Costal Norway will be analyzed. Governance aspects will also be assessed, to identify drivers and barriers and facilitate better coordination between actors in the industry. This will also contribute to the financial sustainability of the industry and increase the possibility for further development of the scale, products and services of the industry.
Funding: The Research Council of Norway
