Military Logistics Manager In Narvik#

Yngve Odlo was the operational chief of the Armed Forces both when Norway withdrew from Afghanistan and when Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine.

The former general, who is now employed by WilNor Governmental Services and sits on the board of the Port of Narvik, believes it is high time that we take charge and accept the consequences of there being a war in Europe.

“We are the neighbour of Russia, which has annexed another independent state. But the understanding of the security policy situation we are in is lacking,” claims the former head of the Armed Forces’ operational headquarters.

Especially Exposed#

As a result of the special military operation in Ukraine, the retired lieutenant general believes that it is likely that Norway will be hit by terror, sabotage, cyber attacks and influence operations.

He is also clear that Narvik, in its role as a reception area for allied reinforcements, among other things, could be a target for attacks from Russia.

Finland has NATO’s longest border with Russia, and it is Finland’s vulnerability and dependence for the transport of goods through the Baltic Sea that makes Odlo believe that Narvik with Narvik’s ice-free port is particularly exposed to such attacks. For the Nordic region, there are four ports that are prioritised for receiving allied support; Narvik, Trondheimsfjorden, Gothenburg and Esbjerg.

The Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications in Finland, Lulu Ranne, previously stated to the Finnish capital newspaper Iltalehti that NATO’s defence plans assume that heavy military equipment will be able to be transported to Finland via the port of Narvik.

According to the Helsinki Security Forum, 80 percent of Finland’s exports and 90 percent of Finland’s imports are shipped through the Baltic Sea.

A threat to maritime traffic in the Baltic Sea, small or large, can cause great damage to the Finnish economy and at the same time threaten critical functions in Finnish society.

Among other reasons, Yngve Odlo believes that Narvik is a more important port city for Finland—and for the entire Arctic Ocean—than it is for Norway. But he fears that the seriousness has not sunk in.

“If we take the seriousness upon ourselves, then we will start to get very busy. We must be able to see Narvik’s importance in the bigger picture. In the entire North Calotte and in the High North.”

By “we” Odlo means primarily the Norwegian authorities.

“The challenge in preparedness is that our value chains are cross-sectoral,” Odlo adds, here too with a clear address to the authorities who he believes must be able to think more cross-sectorally.

Out As Reception Area#

A year and a half ago, the Storting adopted the new long-term plan for the defence sector. Norway’s ability to receive allied supplies is described here as a core task in the new security policy reality—after Finland and Sweden became NATO members.

In an email to Fremover, the Ministry of Defence confirms that Forsvarsbygg has not yet been commissioned to dimension Narvik Port.

Harbour Director Børge Klingan Edvardsen informs Fremover that Narvik Port currently has an area of around 20,000 square metres that can be used to receive allied supplies. The need is between four and five times that large.

For Narvik Port, the plan, until recently, was to use the old airport area in Framneslia as an allied reception area. However, the mapping of the seabed outside the old airport means that it may take 12–15 years before a filled-in area can be built on.

— Is Framneslia out as a military reception area?

— Yes. At least in the short term. Because of the underlying conditions.

— It needs to be rethought, Odlo states.

Needs To Be Rethought#

— Rethinking? Doesn’t that sound like the recipe for getting a solution within the next five years?

— If you’re only going to finance a development based on the operating budget of Narvik Port, then it won’t take five years. Then it will take a long time.

Source:

• Nettavisen AS (in Norwegian)
• Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian)