138 millioner til Troll-sleder på Antarktis

138 millioner kroner has been allocated by the Norwegian government to develop and maintain the Norwegian research station, Troll, located in the Gjeldsviksfjellene mountains in Dronning Mauds Land, Antarctica. Troll is nearly 40 years old and is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain due to the extreme weather conditions. The government is also looking into building a new research station, with construction not yet approved by the Storting, but the Statsbygg department is working on a preliminary project to consider costs and implementation, with a report expected before Christmas.

The Norwegian government has begun opening its financial resources for advanced sleds capable of delivering building materials through the long, harsh journey over the inland ice. In the 2027 budget, the government proposed 173 million kroner for "greater equipment and maintenance" and earmarked 138 million kroner for "one-time expenses for sleds."

In the previous budget, 227 million kroner was allocated to "special vehicles and material with long lead times," including sleds. The Polarinstitutt's department director for operations and logistics, Erland Loso, explained that they need to purchase equipment in advance to keep the project on schedule, as there is only one shipping ship per year to and from the Antarctic, arriving only during the summer months from November to March.

A single sled is the size of a 20-foot container, and they need around 150-200 sleds to complete the project.

Transportation of materials will be done through the sea route via Cape Town, South Africa. It is not yet clear when the new station will be completed, but it is hoped that construction will begin in the 2028-2029 season. The new station is expected to be built on 6,500 square meters, capable of housing up to 65 people during the summer, compared to the current 4,550 square meter station that can accommodate up to 50 people during the summer.

Polarinstituttet has entered a framework agreement with a company called Anders Beton in Grobbendonk, Belgium, to purchase the required sleds, with Skanska acting as the project's entrepreneur. The Polarinstituttet has emphasized the high cost of building in Antarctica due to the long transportation route, short construction and transportation window, and challenging weather conditions, with logistics, transport, rigging, and operation costs making up roughly half of the construction costs.