Business development
Today, Grenland is one of the most important industrial areas in Norway. As well as being a centre for the process industry, there is also a significant mechanical and electromechanical industry present. Other major industries include energy technology and production, IT and commerce.
Without a solid port infrastructure, this industrial fairytale would have looked completely different. Port of Grenland and the proximity to the sea have been essential factors in creating thousands of jobs in Grenland.
Support for trade and industry
For hundreds of years, the industrial cluster in Grenland has adapted and reinvented production to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. The same applies to the suppliers and service providers on which the big industrial companies depend.
Grenland has a strong support network for trade and industry in local municipalities, as well as the University of South-Eastern Norway, Vestfold & Telemark county municipality, the organisations Vekst i Grenland and Innovation Norway. Port of Grenland also plays an important role as a driving force in business development.
Our role
Our main goal is to arrange for long-term and stable frameworks where sea-borne transport plays an important role. This is absolutely vital in appealing to new, attractive companies, which often have a choice of locations. Port of Grenland will play an active role in developing the current port terminals and new commercial areas with quay access, within our economic capacities. Major investments must be carried out in collaboration with other entities, in both the public and private sectors.
Important economic growth
In 2014, Gemba Seafood Consulting performed an economic growth analysis of the Port of Grenland. It found that 2 570 people are directly employed in businesses where sea transport via our terminals is a vital part of the supply chain. An additional 1 564 people are employed indirectly as a result of these activities. A total of 4 000 people are employed in businesses that use sea transport in their day-to-day activities. These businesses produced goods and services with a sales value of NOK 18.8 billion in 2014.
Why Port of Grenland?
Access to land, also seaside, which is suitable for most industries, is an advantage in Grenland. Frier Vest (9 km2) and Herøya (1.5 km2) offers land and infrastructure suitable for more complex and demanding industries. Grenland can offer reliable and efficient transport solutions that support new and existing industrial establishments, and the benefit of this must not be underestimated. Seaside access and transportation offering a stable framework for business can be decisive when choosing location.
Grenland is rich on minerals and natural resources with great potential. Grenland can also offer one of the most sophisticated energy sources in Norway; for electricity, natural gas and biogas, and waterborn heating systems. As a regional hub, this creates comparative advantages that can be capitalized further.
Moreover, Grenland is a national hub that has been significantly strengthened in recent years. Before long, E18 through the region will re-open as a modern four-lane motorway. E134 is the main connection between east and west, and Grenland is linked via RV36, a road that is currently under significant rehabilitation.
The Bratsberg Line, which operates personal and freight transport, connects Grenland to the main lines of Vestfoldbanen and Sørlandsbanen. The Brevik Line and Herøya Line further connect industry and marine areas to the rail network. Sandefjord Airport is situated 30 minutes away by public transportation.
Port of Grenland is one of the largest ports in Norway, and offers a sophisticated infrastructure for most transport operations.
Sustainable port operations
The “green shift” demands the emergence of sustainable industry. This is why the Port of Grenland will work towards strengthening the transfer of goods from road to rail and ship. We will succeed by working together with operators such as freight forwarders, ship owners, brokers, commodity owners and local authorities. In 2015, CargoNet started a regular train shuttle from Brevik Terminal to Oslo and Bergen, with the potential of more frequent departures. Finally, improved fairway maintenance and modern technology are important factors to attract customers to maritime transport.