THE PORT OF MO I RANA
WHEN TONNES ARE CUNTED IN MILLIONS
It was the propeller that changed the coast. When the sailing ships and Nordland yachts were replaced by ships with steel keels and propellers, the huge values inside the fjords became better accessible, people found work and the settlement changed radically. For Ranfjorden, the last 125 years have been like a slow revolution. Where strong mens rowed in headwinds to bring goods in and out, the ships today sail with thousands of tons of cargo capacity. Close to five million tonnes are yearly unloaded and loaded over the quays in Mo i Rana, and close to 70 per cent of the ship calls were foreign traffic. This makes the port of Mo i Rana one of the country's largest measured in tonnage. Passenger traffic in the inner parts of the fjord disappeared 60 years ago.
The Port of Mo i Rana currently has about 1,000 ship calls a year. The vast majority of traffic is related to industry. The district's rich deposits of ore form an important part of the tonnage, but also raw materials and finished goods from the steel and alloy works, Celsa, Elkem and Ferroglobe create large tonnage.
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Helgeland Plast, the world's largest producer of fish farms, creates traffic on the fjord. Often the cages are delivered fully assembled, and tugs bring a chain of rings out of the fjord. The tank farms at Bjørnbærvikodden receive large amounts of fuel for the region.
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The largest ships are those mooring at the Bulk Terminal or Rana Gruber's quay, delivering raw materials for the smelters or to load iron ore that are exported to customers around the world.
There are large dimensions that are handled by the tugboats in the harbor. Photo: Mo i Rana Havn
As of today, the Port of Mo in Rana handles ships of over 90,000 tonnes deadweight. The port's proximity to the railway, E6 and E12 to Sweden, Finland and Russia give the port unique development opportunities. A rail combi terminal is located right next to the quay facilities at Toraneskaia, which is also equipped with roll on / roll off.
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The Port of Mo in Rana is 9001-certified by Veritas, and is one of the few ports in Norway to be environmentally certified by Veritas 14001. The Port of Mo in Rana is also an important part of the coast and the fjord's oil spill preparedness. Exercises are carried out regularly, also in close collaboration with Mo i Rana Fire Department.
It is not just ore and metals that are extracted from the quay in Mo i Rana. Photo: Mo i Rana Havn
Deep Water Quay
The quays in Mo i Rana have had one significant challenge for a number of years. The ground conditions mean that the depth at the quays does not allow the largest ships to reach the quay, and this is particularly detrimental to ship traffic to and from the industrial park.
The Norwegian Coastal Administration has the planning work for a deep-water quay, and construction is expected to start in 2023. For the established industry and for the new battery cell factory, this provides completely new framework conditions.
Cruise traffic
Mo i Rana's location close to the Arctic Circle gives the city great potential for cruise traffic. It is expected that the new major airport will strengthen this market. Then the ships can change both passengers and crew during their calls, at the same time as a number of attractive sights are within easy reach by bus. The airport is scheduled to be completed in the autumn of 2025.
