Langesund havneterminalen is sold ???
I don`t understand why in so many countries "critical infrastructure" is / was / will be sold to any private persons or companies.
A ferry-terminal possible for to use by big international ferries is similar important as airports or railway-tracks / stations or big motorways.
It is easy possible to give / tender the organisation, administration to any company with a time-limited contract - but to sell such a national special port-infrastructure "Tafel-Silber / table-silver" is only super-stupid.
I can understand also that there are some annually costs for an unused port-area - but then there are 1000 possibilities for to rent out the space to any others (also parts to smaller) companies for time-limited-contracts with options for extensions. Just some weeks ago another ferry-terminal-building (i have forgotten where it was) is actually in use as Event-hall for parties.
Especially for countries as Norway - geographic similar as a "Half-Island" with 1000s of km coast-line every port is really important.
Feels for me as a "shock" - i was really thinking that in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years any "next" ferry-company will offer new ferry-routes to/from Langesund (to Danmark, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, UK - 1000 chances).
Ferjeterminalen ble lagt ut til flere titalls millioner kroner. Nå er den solgt.
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Havn bestemt seg derfor for å... (betalt-article !) -
Look at the picture - it is a full modern complete ferry-teminal with all what is needed - better than many other ferry-ports without bridge for foot-passengers !
So the port-company GRENLAND has bought Langesund-port in febr. this year ?
I am wondering that such a deal is so easy possible in a country with very strong state regulations, highest tax, person-nummer-system etc. as Norway - in many points much less freedom than in other countries.
In Germany f.ex. all air- and seaports are state-owned or indirectly under state-public-control. Nearly all ports would be very happy if there would arrive any new ferry-route and it is absolute unbelievable that f.ex. Emden, Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven - or also f.ex. Wismar (they want urgent a ferry-route too) would be sold to any private person or company - similar like a logistic-hall or a big parking-area anywhere in the country.
Full ok that any port-company can use the space in Langesund - but why selling to them for ever - and not renting with a time-contract only ???
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So option A)
Grenland-havn tries self to find a new ferry-company for Langesund (maybe Njordic Ferry Line has spoken with them already - who knows ?).
I am sure that there would be any ferry-companies interested - if they would be really intensive asked, invited for visiting etc. . Often managers are so strong in "tunnel A" - that they not see new chances and ways beside the "tunnel".
In place from TT-Line f.ex. i would try any other new monopoly-route instead to operate for Europes lowest freight-rates per seamile with 3 strong competitors (Finnlines, Polferries, Unity Line) with more and more over-capacity to Swinousjcie... - to fight for every truck to Klaipeda with DFDS and to look into unclear future especially on the Travemünde-route with bigger and bigger competition from Finnlines and in 5 years from the new Fehmarnbaelttunnel.
So Rostock-Skagen-Langesund would work very well f.ex. .
Or Finnlines - why not operate Langesund-Malmö-Swinousjcie ?
Option B)
Grenland use they port-space in any other kind.
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Other South-Norwegian ports:
Larvik and Sandefjord - is there enough free space for a big new daily ferry-connection with a lot of trucks also including the ferry is hanging around 2, 3, 4 hours in port ?
Moss - the old berth-ramp from Stena-Nordica is still to see in Google-Satellit - but the space is sold / rented too ?
Moss would be a super-well option - from there it is very easy to Middle-Sweden also, i have often used this ferry-route in the 90ies - sometimes to Norway and sometimes to Middle-Sweden (Värmland, Dalsland, Dalarna etc.).
Was from Frederikshavn the same ticket-price than to Göteborg - but you save 200-300km driving. Njordic Ferry Line could then also make marketing with Sweden-Holland - and not only to/from Norway.
Arendal and Egersund - generally much too small for ca. 200m long ferries ?
Anywhere else in South-Norway "secretly sleeping" ferry-berths (Horten, Frederiksstad etc.) as f.ex. south of Stockholm the former ferry-ports in Södertälje (Superfast) and Oxelösund (Polferries) ?
So if Kristiansand is not possible - i can still see no other better option than Langesund... and a (future) contract between Njordic Ferry Line and Grenland-havn.
And Risberg has right too, many points are not perfect in Langesund - but which other port should be a better alternative ?