In five years’ time, new electric ferries will be introduced in the ferry connection between Nesna and the three islands of Hugla, Handnesøy and Tomma on the Helgeland coast. In the meantime, the approximately 200 islanders have to live with an old ferry from the 1970s. The ferry “Røsund” is approaching 50 years old, and does not measure up by today’s standards. This is admitted by the county council, which has the ultimate responsibility for ferry traffic in Nordland. This winter, on average, the ferry did not run several times a week. And if you are in a wheelchair, you must take an outdoor stairlift up to the lounge on the ferry’s top deck. A lift is required by law, but in practice it is not used. Nevertheless, the ferry is approved with a so-called universal design. SOON 50 YEARS: One of the ferries that runs in the connection is Røsund, which was built in 1977. MS Røsund was built in 1977, rebuilt in 1987, and has a capacity of around 200 passengers and 50 cars. Photo: Kasper Holgersen / news – Very scary It is impossible to understand for wheelchair user Dagny Sofie Dahl (26), who lives on one of her eyes. The lift up takes 15 minutes, and here wheelchair users have to sit in all kinds of weather. It is worst on stormy days in winter. If you are a passenger in a wheelchair, you are entitled to be able to take the lift up to the lounge. Photo: Kasper Holgersen / news Dagny says she has only dared to take the stair lift on good weather days. Even that was uncomfortable, she says. – It was very scary. The stair lift is very steep. I had to adjust the chair halfway up the stairs, where it is at its steepest, so as not to pinch my feet in the steps. In addition, the trip takes forever. Dahl thinks the lift is useless, and has mostly given up on getting up into the lounge. Hear how the lift works here: – Shameful Either she sits in the car. When she does not have the car, it has happened that she has sat in the disabled toilet down on the car deck for 40 minutes each way. – Our own county is deprioritizing some of its residents by giving us a ferry that should actually be scrapped, says Dagny Sofie Dahl. Photo: Private Dahl says she has contacted Nordland county council to address the problems. – I think the whole thing is shameful. Our own county is deprioritizing some of its residents by giving us a ferry that should actually be scrapped, says Dahl. Monika Sande (Sp) is county councilor for transport and infrastructure in Nordland. She says she is aware that the ferry does not measure up to today’s standards. County councilor for transport and infrastructure, Monika Sande, has traveled with “Røsund” herself and says she understands that the local population is impatient. Photo: Kasper Holgersen / news – When it comes to universal design, I actually have to look a bit at the requirements. It must be such that the ferry can be used by wheelchair users. Canceled several times a week When the ferry company Torghatten Nord took over the ferry connection between Nesna and the Nesna Islands from competitor Boreal last year, they deployed MF “Røsund” as the main vessel. Since then, there has been a hail of changes, according to the islanders. According to the county council’s own figures, nearly 40 of the settings were due to technical problems. Torghatten Nord receives a fee of NOK 10,000 each time the ferry is cancelled. After six months of operation, the shipping company was up to NOK 700,000 in the Nesna Islands alone. CRITICAL: – The ferry is simply too old and unstable, and must be replaced as soon as possible, demands Rebekka Bruin Ødegaard, who is a leader in Nesna Sp and Tomma local committee. Photo: Kasper Holgersen / news According to commuter and SP politician Rebekka Bruin Ødegaard, the ferry has been in the workshop more than out in traffic. – It does not have the engine power to keep the timetables, and struggles to dock under completely normal weather challenges and sea conditions, says Ødegaard, who is also the leader of the local committee on one of the islands. All the settings lead to major consequences for commuters, businesses and farmers. – It affects the local population and not least the business community. There is a lot of industry on the islands, which provides many jobs and tax money for the municipality. New ferry required Ødegaard cannot understand that the nearly 50-year-old ferry has been given a seal of approval by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate. – It must mean that the requirements set by the authorities for ferry equipment in Norway are set too low. According to the plan, the Nesna connection, together with several other ferry routes on Helgeland, will be electrified in 2026. Until that happens, the county council has announced short interim tenders. But while in other ferry connections there is a requirement that the ferries must be built after the year 2000, this does not apply to the route to the Nesna Islands. The islanders will therefore have to live with “Røsund” for at least another four years, according to county councilor Monika Sande. Bjørn Olaf Revang is specialist group leader at the county, and works with contracts and procurement. He states that the county council is not aware of any challenges with engine power at “Røsund”. Recently, there has been a shortage of crew which means that the ferry has to constantly cancel. But the county council promises the residents that the ferry will be on route from 1 September. – I have learned that the ferry is unable to keep the route. We will take that up with Torghatten Nord. We are also in dialogue with the shipping company to increase route production until 1 September, says county councilor Monica Sande. The laws from the county council do not reassure the party trap in Nesna. She fears a new autumn and winter with restrictions, and demands a new ferry before 2026. – I don’t think a new autumn and winter with this ferry will actually work, says Rebekka Bruin Ødegaard, who is leader of the Tomma local committee.
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Dagny (26) does not dare to use a wheelchair lift on a ferry from the 1970s – news Nordland
