The case in summary Thousands of travelers are affected by ferry trouble in Vestfold after Sandefjord harbor was closed and departures moved to Larvik. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has received a new analysis from Sandefjord municipality regarding security at the port, but it will take several days to review it. Color Line has expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, and has set up new round trips from Larvik in the meantime. Sandefjord municipality believes that the situation is deplorable and will investigate where it went wrong. If the new analysis is approved, the port could potentially reopen next week. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Several thousand travelers are affected by the ferry trouble in Vestfold. Now the Coastal Administration says that it may take several days before Sandefjord harbor is reopened. – We have been sent a new analysis and we will start looking at it as soon as we can, but it is thorough work that needs to be done. That’s what Arve Dimmen, director of navigation technology and maritime services at the Norwegian Coastal Administration, says. On Friday evening, Color Line contacted all travelers that departures to Strømstad have been moved from Sandefjord to Larvik. Undergoing new analysis The Coastal Administration has been in contact with Sandefjord municipality regarding the port for a long time, Dimmen explains. – We have tried to explain why we cannot approve the work they have delivered so far, he says. Arve Dimmen in the Coastal Administration. Photo: Alf-Jørgen Tyssing / news The municipality has now submitted a new analysis of the security risk at the port, but Dimmen says that it will take several working days before the Norwegian Coastal Administration can review it and come up with a new answer. – If the analysis is sufficient and it is approved, the port will be able to reopen quite quickly next week. – What is missing before you can give approval? – I cannot say anything about the content of the analysis of the hedging risk itself, says Dimmen and points out that the analysis is exempt from public disclosure. An empty harbor in Sandefjord after the ferry service was moved to Larvik on Friday evening. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news Long queues Around 4,000 travelers are affected by port changes. On Saturday, there were delays in the departure from Larvik. There were long queues at the port. Color Line passengers had to wait patiently to board the ferry. Martin Reiersen – It has been slow both in terms of traffic and in the dismantling of the ferry. Shouldn’t have thought it took longer for a place with a larger capacity than what they have in Sandefjord. Ludvig, Gabriel and Marius – We have to wait a long time. It’s boring, say the boys. – It’s not fun that the departure was moved. Both longer to drive and more chaos, says Marius Frydenlund Nilsen. Sales and marketing manager Nina Moland Andersen in Color Line was able to inform on Saturday afternoon that they have set up new round trips from Larvik on Sunday 23 June. Larvik – Strømstad: Departure at 10.00, arrival at 13.00 Larvik – Strømstad: Departure at 18.45, arrival at 21.15 Strømstad – Larvik: Departure at 15.00, arrival at 17.45 Strømstad – Larvik: Departure at 22.00, arrival at 00.30 – Plunder and heft Color Line is not satisfied with the situation that has arisen. Erik Brynhildsbakken, executive director of communications and public relations, tells about looting and handouts for employees and passengers. – It is not good if this takes a long time to be cleaned up. The Color Hybrid is specially adapted to the port in Sandefjord, so we hope it can return there as soon as possible. Color Hybrid arrives at the port in Larvik on Saturday morning, ready to transport the passengers to Strømstad. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news Brynhildsbakken praises Color Line employees for handling the situation in a quick and good manner. – We focus on our passengers and not on what has been done or not done in Sandefjord municipality, he says. – We must learn from this Mayor of Sandefjord municipality, Bjørn Ole Gleditsch (H), says that the municipality is sorry that the situation creates challenges for employees and passengers. Now they want to find out where it went wrong, he says. – How could this happen? – I can’t say that for sure, but the municipality submitted an application four months ago and has been in dialogue with the Coastal Administration since then. So we have not been able to reach the goal within the deadlines that have been set, says the mayor. Sandefjord mayor, Bjørn Ole Gleditsch, at the closed port in Sandefjord. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news Gleditsch will not take self-criticism on behalf of the municipality for the time being. – It’s regrettable, but we have to learn from what has caused us to not reach the finish line this time. He praises Color Line for having found an alternative in Larvik. – Hopefully we will be back to normal in a few days. Published 22.06.2024, at 20.29 Updated 23.06.2024, at 08.27
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