Small fry – big fish
Encouraging turnaround in Norwegian railfreight operations from 2021 to 2023. Sometimes government and industry can work together in a constructive way. First state subsidies kept railfreight activities on track in 2020; now the newcomer Onrail has reactivated routes that other players struggled with.
Five years ago the Norwegian railfreight sector was deep in a crisis. Volumes were declining, the state-owned player CargoNet cancelled ever more goods trains, and there was talk that it may imminently shut down operations. The state stepped in with financial injections spread over two years, to ensure freight railways survived. It was wisely-invested money.
The growth of railfreight traffic from 2020 to 2021 stood at 12%. In the first six months of 2022, growth has continued, bringing the figure 8% higher compared to H1 / 2021. The Oslo–Trondheim Dovre Line led the way with a plus of 17%. For 2023, forwarders even expect a further 30% increase in volumes.
The newly-founded freight railway Onrail deserves special mention. CargoNet, Cargolink and Sweden’s Green Cargo all unsuccessfully tried their hand at operating a Rauma line container train from Åndalsnes to Oslo Alnabru. In 2021 Onrail succeeded in reactivating this container train with minimal administrative effort, and ensured high and constant demand. The key to success were its close personal customer relationships.
Infrastructure the fly in the ointment
However, this highly satisfactory development is still severely limited by the inadequate infrastructure available. Most railway lines in Norway are single-track affairs. Goods trains are accorded the lowest priority to proceed when they have to stop at crossings and passing sections.
Long periods of blocked tracks represent long waiting times and delays. For the past ten years Norway’s rail network has been undergoing massive upgrades. The improvements, however, such as an ongoing project for a continuous double-track line from Oslo to Hamar, require long construction times.