Hurtigruten AS has operated the service between Tromsø and Harstad over the past 30 years, when the new bidding round was launched, three shipping companies have declared interest – but not Hurtigruten.
– We does not have the financial capacity to submit a tender of the service between Tromsø and Harstad, says Bjørn Laksforsmo, Vice President of the Ferries & Fast Ferries department at Hurtigruten AS, to itromso.no.
To run the service between Tromsø and Harstad, new and modern vessels are needed. Three years ago Hurtigruten acquired two new vessels aimed for the service – today the vessels do not fulfill the requirements. Hurtigruten AS has suffered a loss of NOK 90 million for the service the past several years – no compensation will be paid out to Hurtigruten.
– We does not have the financial capacity to submit a tender of the service between Tromsø and Harstad, says Bjørn Laksforsmo, Vice President of the Ferries & Fast Ferries department at Hurtigruten AS, to itromso.no.
To run the service between Tromsø and Harstad, new and modern vessels are needed. Three years ago Hurtigruten acquired two new vessels aimed for the service – today the vessels do not fulfill the requirements. Hurtigruten AS has suffered a loss of NOK 90 million for the service the past several years – no compensation will be paid out to Hurtigruten.