She will mediate on the Malmbanan railway

Luleå The Norrbotten Region has commissioned the CEO of the Swedish Construction Federation, and former Swedish Minister for Infrastructure, Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd, to mediate and seek compromises with all parties who have an interest in Malmbanan, the railway between Narvik's Atlantic port in Norway and the port of Luleå on the Gulf of Bothnia.

The lack of capacity on the Ore Line between Narvik and Luleå is a well-known problem, with mining companies LKAB, Kaunis Iron and Boliden, and steel industries SSAB and Stegra wanting space for their transport. But Malmbanan is also needed for lighter transport, mail and groceries. Not to mention passenger transport.

"Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd was a key figure as Minister for Infrastructure in the 2010s and has a good reputation among stakeholders. She can now start a dialogue and find the balance between freight and passenger traffic, and look at overbooking and overall responsibility with new eyes. With this decision, Region Norrbotten takes responsibility for the situation that has arisen with competition for capacity," says Anders Öberg, Chairman of the Regional Executive Board.

Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd's task will be to hold talks with all stakeholders who use Malmbanan. The aim is to get the most out of today's railway, and then create an effective capacity expansion.

"Malmbanan, in fact the entire stretch from harbour to harbour, is an important part of Swedish infrastructure. Sweden's competitiveness and the business community's need for exports and imports should not depend on a fragile railway. In the international situation Sweden is in today, not least as a member of NATO, Malmbanans function will be even more important. Both today and tomorrow. I am happy to contribute to this work," says Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd.

Lennart Håkansson

editor@northswedenbusiness.com