Avinor Group is to build a new airport south of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Project director Bjarte Nesse told Tara Craig why it is necessary and what’s involved
Mo i Rana may have a population just shy of 20,000 people, but this small Norwegian town punches well above its weight in terms of industry. A market town from the 18th Century onwards, it became renowned for both mining and boatbuilding, followed by iron and steel production, which dominated the local economy until the 1990s. Today, Mo i Rana relies on the service sector, although new, environmentally friendly industries are emerging. Situated at the innermost point of the Ranfjord, Mo i Rana is just 80km south of the Arctic Circle. Its climate is classified as subarctic, with proximity to the coast bringing colder winters than are found further inland. Heavy snow is common throughout the winter, with blizzards lasting hours.
