International Shipping from Norway. The State of Transport in the Kingdom of Norway

Norway is a country in Northern Europe with a mixed economy. The country's economy combines a very powerful public sector with private enterprises. The main source of the country's GDP, the extraction of hydrocarbons, primarily natural gas, is under state control. It is the export of hydrocarbons that accounts for half of the country's exports. High-tech exports account for less than 15% of the total sales abroad. The service sector also plays a significant role in Norway's economy.

The economy of Norway is socially oriented. The country has a well-developed social protection and welfare system. Thanks to its vast natural resources, relatively small population, and socially oriented economy, the standard of living in Norway is significantly higher than in other European countries.

Geographical Location and General Characteristics of Norway's Transport System

Norway is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula and stretches along its northwestern tip for most of its length. This allows the country to control maritime routes between the Atlantic and Arctic Ocean waters, as well as, through the Skagerrak Strait, maritime routes between the Baltic and North Seas. Norway shares land borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The country's location on the Scandinavian Peninsula ensures its control over land routes from Finland and Sweden to the ports of the North Sea.

In ancient times, Norway was a land of Vikings, and seafaring is in the blood of its inhabitants. But besides water transport, all other modern types of transport are well developed in the country; aviation, railways, and road transport. A quality infrastructure has been created for the functioning of the country's transport system.

Norway's Roads as Part of the Freight Transport System

The condition of the roads in Norway is excellent. The road surface is practically in perfect condition, and all necessary signs and road indicators are present. The only problem is the landscape of the area. Norway is a mountainous country, and there are many long descents and ascents with quite steep turns on the roads.

The total length of Norway's roads is almost 94,000 km. 76,000 km of roads have a solid surface. 664 km belong to highways. Some roads in Norway are toll roads; specifically, there is a fee for traveling on 45 Norwegian roads. Additionally, there is a toll for crossing the Svinesund Bridge, which connects the roads of Sweden and Norway across the Iddefjord of the Svinesund Bay.

Possibility of Cargo Transport to Norway by Air

In the relatively small area of Norway, there are 95 airports. 67 of them have a runway (RWY) with a solid surface. 25 Norwegian airports have runways ranging from 1524 to 3047 m, and these airports can accommodate heavy modern airliners. Thus, the delivery of cargo to and from Norway by air transport is possible. The most well-known airports in Norway are located in the cities of:

• Bergen.
• Bodø.
• Moss.
• Oslo.
• Sandefjord.
• Stavanger.
• Florø.

Water Transport in Norway

The total length of navigable sections of rivers, which can accommodate vessels with a deadweight of up to 500 tons, is 1577 km. But of course, the main part of Norway's water transport is its maritime component. The main seaports of the country are located in the cities of:

• Bergen.
• Haugesund.
• Måløy.
• Montstad.
• Narvik.
• Sture.

Liquefied gas is exported through the ports in the cities of:

1. Kamøy.
2. Collnes.
3. Melkøya.

Norwegian Railways

The length of the Norwegian railway tracks is 4250 km. When planning shipments to Norway or transit through it by rail from the CIS countries, it should be noted that the width of the Norwegian gauge corresponds to the European standard of 1435 mm. In the CIS, the width of the railway gauge is 1520 mm. When delivering cargo by rail, it will need to be transshipped along the way.

Main Export Goods of Norway

Norway mainly exports oil and gas through pipelines and maritime transport, as well as metal ores.