The Scandinavian nation of Norway is in some ways a world all to itself of which outsiders know but little. Its 1,100 year old running monarchical succession is among the oldest in the world, and Norwegians are as careful to guard their national identity and resources as they are their long-standing traditions. For example, they have repeatedly (in 1972 and 1994) voted down joining the EU, though they participate in it indirectly through the EEA (European Economic Area). The EEA, however, does not put much control on Norway’s burgeoning oil and fish industry.
Norway sometimes tends to be thought of as “back-woods and out of the way,” but in reality they are an economic powerhouse with a per capita GDP second in Europe only to Luxemburg and the number five oil exporter world-wide. Without ever joining OPEC, Norway has drilled over 5,000 oil wells in the last 50 years and has effectively doubled the total value of their exports. Norway is a rich, heavily-trading nation that on average is a creditor and not a debtor in relation to other nation-states. Additionally, Foreign Policy Magazine in 2009 ranked Norway as the best-functioning, most stable nation in the world.
Due to its long, stringy shape, mountainous and rugged terrain, many fjords, and the large nearly-empty spaces that result from uneven distribution of its small population, Norway has lagged behind many Western nations in developing its transportation networks. The cities, especially Oslo, are well-served, but much of the countryside presents challenges to freight shipping as well as to passenger travel. There are throughout Norway 97 airports (seven of them high-volume), 4,100 km (2450 mi) of railroad that carries some 25 million tons of cargo annually, 93,000 km (58,000 mi) of highway, and regular sea freight movements in bulk at the Port of Oslo. This is besides the many smaller ports along the Arctic/North Sea coast.
If you are planning on shipping freight into or out of Norway, whether Oslo, the Orkney and Shetland Islands, the far northern coastline, or elsewhere, we can offer you the services of our agents stationed in Norway to arrange optimal low-cost transport in the speediest and safest way possible. Contact us today, and we will be happy to discuss with you in detail how best to meet your freight shipping needs.
For comprehensive logistics solutions that fit your needs from Norway to anywhere or, anywhere to Norway.
