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Fish Exporters Choose Toftir for Crucial Link |
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Written by B. Tyril
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Toftir Harbour had a new terminal for cargo built just in time to accommodate an increase in traffic, providing Fresh Link with the right infrastructure for the vital export of fresh seafood to Scotland.
MAY 2009 (North Atlantic News). The lively fishing harbor of Toftir has been upgraded with a 96-meter Cargo Terminal that is proving to be of vital importance for Faroese exports of fresh fish. Under a contract between Toftir Harbour and the new transport company Fresh Link, the terminal twice a week receives a reefer ship that takes fresh seafood from companies based in Eysturoy and elsewhere in the Faroe Islands.
The vessel chartered from Norway’s Silver Sea for the purpose is the 77.6 meter Silver Fjord, originally the Star Saga, built in 1984 at the Skála shipyard.
According to Símun Johannesen, the mayor of the Municipality of Nes, which includes the community of Toftir, the Cargo Terminal can be extended by 200 meters.
“Fishing is the heart of this harbor,” Mr. Johannesen says, and rightly so. Toftir Harbour is home to the Faroe Islands’ only fish market, a fish landing station, several fish processing facilities, and the fishing industry’s common Container Centre.
Situated at the mouth of the Skálafjörđur, on the eastern arm of the fjord, Toftir Harbour receives some 1,150 calls from fishing vessels with a capacity of 50 tonnes and above, and 5,500 calls from smaller fishing boats.
The harbor has just over 500 meters of quay, consisting of the 320-meter Fishing Terminal, the 85-meter Ice Berth, and the Cargo Terminal. There is also a marina with a capacity for 70 boats and inshore vessels.
Services such as fresh water and electricity are available in all parts of the harbor; in addition a number of maritime services including repairs and provisions are available locally.
Toftir Harbour is known for its effective way of dealing with practical issues. One example is the handling of waste from fishing vessels — it’s an open secret that some vessels tend to dump their waste out into the open sea instead of handling it properly. The solution introduced by Toftir: a flat-rate service that makes it easy and convenient for vessels to get rid of their litter while at berth without any hassle or paperwork.
“The waste service has been a success and most of the boats that come here subscribe to it,” Mr. Johannesen says.
Saving a vital link: Opened in the spring of 2008, the Cargo Terminal complies with the security regulations of the IMO (International Maritime Organization), which means it is fenced off to prevent unauthorized access. By contrast the Fishing Terminal, centrally located by the main square of Toftir, is frequently populated by locals and tourists as well, who enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the community.
As to the story behind the Cargo Terminal and the contract with Fresh Link, it happened in a twist of fate that was the outcome of two entirely separate events. The first was the result of a much touted but eventually discredited trade agreement between the Faroe Islands and Iceland, known as the Hoyvík Agreement and originally signed in 2005. With the agreement, Faroese businesses were encouraged to brace for dramatic trade increases with Iceland, prompting some to make large investments in anticipation of a politically declared integrated market between the two countries. Expectations were high at first and so in preparing for an influx of Icelandic fishing vessels looking to trade at the only authorized fish market in the Faroes, the new Cargo Terminal was designed and construction began.
“We actually needed a new terminal for general cargo, so the Hoyvík Agreement was just one of a number of motivating factors,” Mr. Johannesen says.
Then in the summer of 2008 a major shipping line announced its decision to shortly discontinue a long-established transport link between Faroe and Scotland, much to the consternation of exporters of fresh fish products.
Seafood exporters quickly scrambled to piece together their own route before their lifeline was to be cut in a matter of weeks, and soon began to contact Faroese port authorities in order to identify a suitable base for their planned transport operations. It turned out Toftir Harbour offered the best deal — the newly built Cargo Terminal was the perfect fit.
Arrangements fell smoothly into place, allowing the Silver Fjord, by July, to pick up the vital link to Scotland, with no disruption to deliveries.
“If that route hadn’t been saved,” Mr. Johannesen adds, “I suspect the consequences for Faroese exports could have been quite devastating. So we’re glad these businesses were able to manage the situation and find a solution.”
Link to pdf presentation...
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