Sustainable growth at Sea-Cargo Husøy
Karmsund port at Husøy is a large, strategically located and versatile port, featuring two harbour-cranes with a total lifting capacity of 308 tonnes, four reach-stackers and 100 ro-ro parking slots. The terminal features the latest developments in cargo-handling, ensuring highly efficient loading and unloading operations. Multiple Sea-Cargo vessels have regular port calls at Husøy, connecting seamlessly with all other Sea-Cargo locations.
Developing a strong and efficient hub at Husøy has been one of Sea-Cargo’s main priorities for years already. In 2018, Sea-Cargo took a significant step forward by acquiring Husøyveien 250, together with the port authorities. The terminal boasted 3000m2 of office facilities and approximately 6000m2 of warehouse space at the time. The ideal geographical location, and the cluster of forwarding leaning businesses in the region, made Husøy stand out. Since then, the amount of business through this terminal has increased year by year, with over 150,000 tonnes processed yearly in transhipment operations. In 2022, Sea-Cargo experienced another year of rapid growth, leading to an investment in three new warehouses – increasing the total warehouse capacity from 9000m2 to 18,000m2, totalling to an approximate of 50,000m2 including outdoor storage.
At Sea-Cargo, we place great value on building long-term relationships with our customers and providing the necessary support as their businesses expand. As a result of the increased volumes, Sea-Cargo has also invested in hiring additional terminal operators and acquiring more machinery. In 2022, we welcomed nine new members to our team, and we are pleased with the high level of competence they bring to our operations at Husøy. With a strong and skilled team both in the office and on the terminal, we are well-positioned to continue our growth path and provide exceptional service to our customers, says Dag Tarberg, Director Agencies & Land-based Services.
New warehouses at Sea-Cargo Husøy
More than warehousing
Sea-Cargo Husøy has more than 150 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry and provides much more than warehousing services to their clients. With a range of worldwide air and sea freight services, as well as customs, warehousing and distribution services, they can offer comprehensive supply chain solutions customised to meet all customer requirements.
The efficiency of customs and border control procedures for Sea-Cargo’s customers has been significantly improved with the establishment of a new border control station at Karmsund Port. In cooperation with The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet), the post is the first in Norway authorised for controlling “big bags,” greatly increasing the speed of importing animal- and plant-based products.
New road developments along Norway’s west coast will position Husøy in the heart of the “ferry-free” road network. This includes the Rogfast project, the world’s longest and deepest sub-sea tunnel, which will reduce travel time from Bergen to Stavanger by 40 minutes. This improvement in connectivity enables more efficient forwarding of cargo from Husøy to various locations in Southern Norway.
We want to help our customers with all their logistics needs, whether it is collection/distribution of cargo, shipping with Sea-Cargo vessels, forwarding services (both air and sea), larger projects, shipments or customs clearances. It is the variety in the services we offer that makes this line of work so interesting, not only for me but also for the team who needs to be agile and ready to work with all sorts of request, says Trond Dahle Branch Manager at Sea-Cargo Husøy.
Sea-Cargo Express unloading big bags at Husøy
Focus on sustainability
Sea-Cargo has implemented several environmentally sustainable initiatives in recent years, particularly in relation to sea freight. In 2020, our vessel SC Connector was retrofitted with rotor sails, making it Norway’s largest sailing vessel. This installation enables the vessel to use 25% less fuel, as well as maintaining regular service speed by sails alone.
In collaboration with the Karmsund Port Authorities, Sea-Cargo is also installing solar panels on the roof of its office and terminal buildings in order to become more environmentally friendly. The panels are projected to generate approximately 220,000 kWh of electricity annually, providing power not only for the office and warehouses but also for the plant and machinery.
In addition, several diesel-powered forklifts have been replaced with electric models and the process of ordering four 4×4 electric terminal tractors has already started, making Sea-Cargo the first company in Northern Europe to do so. With the implementation of these new initiatives, and once the solar panels are operational, the Husøy branch will be able to offer completely emission-free loading and unloading of its RORO vessels.
The future of Sea-Cargo
With new developments on the horizon, the upgrade of Husøy is just a small part of Sea-Cargo’s focus on sustainable solutions. The commitment to sustainable practices not only benefits the environment but also their customers by providing them with eco-friendly, efficient and tailored sea freight solutions.
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