“Europe’s new Singapore”
The eastern part of Finnmark could get the same central role in world trade as Singapore, leader of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) believes. The background is the promising shipping along the Northern Sea Route and the huge hydrocarbon resources in the Barents Sea.
Talking at last week’s Barents Sea Conference in Hammerfest, Norway , John G. Bernander underlined that long-term strategies for eastern Finnmark must start now, newspaper Aftenposten reports. -Start working with giving Eastern Finnmark the same strategic role in world trade as Singapore, Bernander recommended. He is confident that the potential is huge for the region strategically located between Arctic shipping routes and hydrocarbon resources. Bernander sees the area as a new shipping gate to Europe and urged the authorities to conclude treaties with Russia over Northern Sea Route shipping. New ports, preparedness facilities and communication systems must be developed, he stressed. Bernander’s speech excited the conference audience, among them municipal leaders in the area. Local municipalities are already engaging in joint and careful planning of the new times. According to agreements, all municipalities in the area will share responsibilities and benefits related with the developments.
