Finland urges Arctic railway

摘要

Finland is urging neighbouring Norway to construct a 550 km railway from Rov-aniemi in Finnish Lapland to the Norwegian Barents Sea port of Kirkenes. The main part of northern Finland and all of northern Norway currently have no railway connectivity. According to Timo Rauta-joki, CEO of Lapland Chamber of Commerce, building the proposed railway would benefit an array of interested parties. Lapland holds rich ore deposits and immense forests that could be more easily exploited by connecting to a deepwater harbour. The exploitation of large oil and gas deposits on the Arctic Ocean coast would benefit too. The line could also be used to import LNG fuel to the region, according to the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.