COWI and Port of Oslo sign framework contract

25.11.2020

The Port of Oslo has a vision of becoming the world’s most efficient and environmentally-friendly port city. To achieve this goal, COWI will be contributing with electrification solutions and engineering expertise within various technical disciplines.

The Port of Oslo is Norway’s largest public commercial port, served by international, regional and local ferries and heavily used for cargo. Between 50 and 70 ships dock there every week. Under a new framework contract, COWI will now provide engineering services including electrification solutions, water and waste, HVAC, rail, structural design, geotechnics and environmental measures.

“The Port Authority is planning major investments to provide Oslo and the region with a modern, environmentally-friendly port. The port is working to realise its ambitions for the ‘Fjord City’, and the South Harbour (Sydhavna) will be developed into an efficient cargo port in the coming years. We look forward to having COWI on the team to realise our vision of developing the Port of Oslo into the world’s most efficient and environmentally-friendly port city”, says the Property Director for the Port of Oslo, Åsa Nes.

A LIFE OF ITS OWN

The ‘Fjord City’ is the name given to the parts of the Oslo waterfront that have been developed since 2000 from industrial and container facilities into new districts. Today, 20 years after the Fjord City renewal project, Oslo has been transformed. The Fjord City has a life of its own with tourists, residents, workplaces and cultural life.

Svein Ove Svendsen, Vice President Energy at COWI, looks forward to assisting in the ongoing development of the future port areas.

“We are very grateful at COWI that the Port of Oslo has chosen us, and we find it very exciting to work with a port authority which is so forward-looking and has set itself such clear targets for reducing emissions. We want to support the Port’s ambition to become one of the world’s first zero-emission ports. We believe this goal is completely achievable, and we have to dare to think in new ways and challenge the established wisdom,” says Svendsen.

“Electrification, charging infrastructure, renewable energy, energy storage and collaboration will be key to any solutions for achieving zero emissions. COWI has great expertise in this area, and we are already working on electrification projects in ports in Norway, Denmark and Sweden,” Svendsen goes on.

With increased electrification, the Port of Oslo will see significantly greater energy needs. Providing sufficient capacity calls for both local and regional cooperation. COWI is working on electrification solutions on the Elnett21 project, which is creating systems for local production, storage and management of energy between Stavanger airport, the port of Stavanger and Forus business park.

Agreements within all technical disciplines

The Agreement will take form as a cross-border collaboration between COWI Denmark and Norway, with Hafslund E-CO as partners.

“The Port of Oslo has a need for engineers with great technical expertise to give advice on all aspects of building and construction projects,” says project manager Øyvind Sverre Pettersen from COWI.

Marine experts from COWI in Denmark add special expertise within port planning, marine structures and climate adaptation solutions to secure the port planning in the crucial transition area from sea to land. Planning tools such as vessel simulation software to be used for port planning of new navigations channels and ferry berths will be helpful to both visualize but also to optimize the development of the port of Oslo.

Henrik Hostrup-Pedersen, project director from COWIs department for Marine and Foundation says:
“The customer must be able to trust that everything works as it should. At the same time we apply the ”Smart Port” approach and tailor the port to be designed for the energy solutions and climate challenges of the future. ”

COWI will also be providing services such as status assessments and project design of quays and buildings.

The strategic plan for the Port of Oslo for 2019–2034 anticipates a need to handle 40 per cent more passengers and 50 per cent more freight.

“COWI has built up deep all-round expertise from port development projects all over the world, which we believe will provide the Port of Oslo with efficient and environmentally-friendly ocean transport to and from the city, while also minimising the social costs”, Pettersen continues.