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The Minister of Transport officially unveils the new Border Control Station at Haugesund Cargo Terminals

Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygård unveils the Border Control Station at Haugesund Cargo Terminals
Photo: Øyvind Sætre 

The Border Control Station (BCS), is officially up and running at Haugesund Cargo Terminals, Husøy. The new BCS is the only full-scale border control outside the Oslofjord and therefore offers significant opportunities for business all the way between Egersund and Kirkenes. No other BCS in Norway has been put into operation for more than 10 years, with the last previous one being in Larvik Harbor in 2011.

Under favoured sunshine more than 150 guests watched the Norwegian Minister of Transportation, Jon-Ivar Nygård cut the ribbon for the new BCS on Thursday afternoon, declaring Karmsund’s BCS officially open.

The Port of Karmsund has invested over NOK 25 million in the BCS, the first of its kind in all of Norway approved to conduct inspections of goods in bulk bags.

Mayor of Karmøy Municipality, Jarle Nilsen, welcomed and underlined the importance and precedence of a BCS in the region: “As the fisheries and aquaculture region we are, this is a long-awaited offer for many of our players. For the actors, border control has until now been handled at other European border control stations, which is inefficient, not environmentally friendly and particularly cost-driving for goods coming to Norway.”

Photo: Karmsund Havn 

Nilsen also introduced the Norwegian Minister of Transportation, which went on to emphasise what the new BCS truly means for the region: “The border control station will provide a lot of activity and sea transport to the region. Which in turn creates growth and values both locally and regionally, but also nationally. When I cut the cord here, we are officially even a little closer to the rest of the world.”
 
With guests gathering in front of the building, one of two the large gates opened, where the Minister of Transportation cut the ribbon to the building, symbolising the finalisation of the BCS, and declaring it open to use.
 
As a result of the EEA agreement, Norway is part of the outer border of the EEA area. In order to protect public and animal health in Europe, all products of animal origin and live animals must undergo a veterinary check before they are allowed into the EEA area.
 
The border control station is a collaboration with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, which is responsible for the operation.
“The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is responsible for the actual day-to-day border control at new BCS. With the large range of goods the station is approved for and the scope that is envisaged, this is a major task for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority,” says Elisabeth Wilmann, director of legal and international work at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
 
Port director Tore Gautesen states:
“One of the main functions of Karmsund Havn IKS is to facilitate strengthened commercial activities both locally, regionally and nationally through organized infrastructure in the harbor and through a satisfactory supply of maritime transport corridors. Haugesund Cargo Terminals, Husøy, is already one of the most important logistics hubs in Norway, and is an efficient port of call. Being able to check products at the border without deviating from the main route provides major savings, and helps to underpin the port as an important logistics hub in the North Sea.”

Last updated: March 10, 2023