EU Supports Laid-Off Northvolt Workers With EUR 8.5 Million The EU and Swedish authorities will provide financial aid to laid-off Northvolt workers in Sweden following the battery manufacturer's bankruptcy.
LKAB Strengthens Logistics in the North with a New Ship Loader in the Port of Narvik The Swedish mining company LKAB has inaugurated a new ship loader in the Port of Narvik, Northern Norway, which is of central importance for the company's exports.
No New Structure for Northern Nordic Cooperation in Sight? Rovaniemi, Finland (High North News): At the end of the year, Finland will withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, and the search for a new cooperation framework has so far not yielded any tangible results. “I really hope that we find a common path forward,” says Hanna Honkamäkilä in the Council of Oulu Region.
Northern Nordic Military Leaders Gathered to Bolster Cooperation The commanders of Norway, Finland and Sweden's northern brigades and home guard forces recently met in Troms, Northern Norway, to forge even closer ties. “This cooperation significantly improves our defense capabilities in the North,” says Terje Bruøygard, Commander of the Norwegian Brigade North.
Construction Start for Fossil-Free Steel Plant in Northern Sweden: “Historic for Swedish Industry” SSAB has started construction of the company's new steel plant in Luleå, Northern Sweden. The steel plant is to produce fossil-free steel and will contribute to lowering Sweden's total CO2 emissions with a whopping 7 percent.
The Relocation of Kiruna: "The State Need to Contribute With More Land and Economic Support" The ongoing relocation of the city of Kiruna in Northern Sweden has reached a critical point at which LKAB and the municipality ask the state for significant financial support and release of a larger area in order for the mining operations to continue.
Population Decline for Northern Swedish Municipality The population of Skellefteå decreased during the first half of 2025. The decline comes in the wake of the bankruptcy of the battery manufacturer Northvolt.
Northvolt Acquisition: Announcing New Leadership for Battery Company US-based battery company Lyten recently entered into an agreement to acquire remaining Northvolt assets in Europe, including its factory in Skellefteå, Northern Sweden. Lyten has also announced key roles in the new leadership following the acquisition.
The Spectacular Arctic: On Church Walks and Football Kiruna: This week, I have wandered and biked around Kiruna, a Swedish mining city, home to 22.4000 inhabitants. The city is moving and even the old, beautiful church has been on a drive. Back in Norway, I've seen an Arctic football club, Bodø Glimt, take its first step into European top football.
Sweden to Host NATO's Logistics Headquarters in the Nordic Region The Swedish city of Enköping is to host NATO's regional logistics headquarters. The establishment is part of the new military division of responsibilities in the Nordic region, and will support troop movements in NATO’s Northwest Area of Operations, says Professor Håkon Lunde Saxi at the Norwegian Defence Command and Staff College.
Photo Series: Join Us in Old Kiruna Kiruna, Northern Sweden (High North News): The city of Kiruna in Northern Sweden is being relocated to make room for mining under the city, leading the ground to sink and form cracks, which again poses a risk to the building and the inhabitants. Join High North News on a tour of the old and now-abandoned mining city.
Spectacular Views: Kiruna Church Moves to a New City Kiruna, Northern Sweden (High North News): Mining towns are a breed of their own. When the mines were empty, people moved on. In Kiruna, however, the municipality and LKAB see it differently. The city itself has relocated to make room for the iron ore mine. Yesterday, an over 100-year-old church was on the move.
Addressing the Northern Geography in Major Exhibition The art gallery Havremagasinet in Northern Sweden has filled a whopping 3600 square meters with art created by various artists from the High North. The works offer diverse views of the northern land of the future.
Cause of Extensive Iron Ore Line Derailment in Northern Sweden Found The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority has found the cause of the December 2023 derailment on the Iron Ore Line, which led to a two-month stop in traffic on the crucial railway line in the north.
Finland Invests in Future Railway to Norway and Sweden Finland has started planning a future railway connection stretching from northern Finland to Narvik in northern Norway. The project aims to change the Finnish track gauge to the Swedish and Norwegian standard, thereby connecting Finland closer to its neighboring countries.
Mining Company LKAB in Northern Sweden Gets Approval for Green Shift Work The Swedish National Audit Office approves the mining company LKAB's work on the green transformation of its operations. Whether the initiative is profitable is still uncertain.
Challenging Situation for the Swedish Forest Industry The combination of high costs and low demand is hitting Swedish sawmills, pulp, and paper producers hard. Increased trade barriers are also creating uncertainty for the industry.
Battery Company Northvolt Files For Bankruptcy After major losses and production issues, the battery company Northvolt has declared bankruptcy in Sweden. The bankruptcy affects the company's factory in Skellefteå, Northern Sweden, among other locations.
Critical of the Swedish Government’s Lack of Investment in the Iron Ore Line The mayor of the Northern Swedish municipality Boden believes the Swedish Government is not taking the further construction of the Iron Ore Line seriously. Sweden recently presented several measures for improving the vital railway but is criticized for not doing enough.
Hard-Packed Snow on the Track Contributed to the Latest Iron Ore Line Derailment According to the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority, hard-packed snow on the track and under the wagons contributed to the derailment of the Iron Ore Line in Northern Sweden in February 2024.
Sweden Gives Green Light to Several Railway Projects in the North The Swedish government is giving the green light to start constructing an important railway line in Northern Sweden. In addition, several projects to improve the capacity of the Iron Ore Line are underway. At the same time, the Norwegian Labor Party is proposing the construction of the Northern Norway line.
Trump Imposes 25 Percent Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum US President Donald Trump is imposing 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. The European Commission said it would react to protect European businesses from unjustified measures.
Former Swedish Minister to Mediate in Iron Ore Line Matter The crucial Iron Ore Line is characterized by low capacity and significant pressure from several actors. Now, the former Swedish Minister of Infrastructure is to find compromises among those who utilize the railway line between Norway and Sweden in the north.
Battery Company Northvolt Continues Its Operations After an extraordinary general meeting, the shareholders of Northvolt decided to allow the company to continue its operations for up to eight months.
Status Report on the Iron Ore Line Derailment: Could Have Been Caused by Defective Wheel According to a preliminary status report from the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority, a damaged wheel could have contributed to the train derailment on the Iron Ore Line a year ago. The fully loaded train was heading from the northern Swedish city of Kiruna to Narvik when several cars derailed near the Norwegian border.
Steel Producer Receives Billion Grant for Green Transformation in Northern Sweden The Swedish steel producer SSAB has been granted SEK 1.45 billion for the green transformation of its Luleå operations. The steel plant in the Northern Swedish city currently accounts for Sweden's largest carbon emission.
The Arctic Mining City Kiruna Can Become the European Capital of Culture On Friday, it will be decided whether Kiruna in Northern Sweden will be the European Capital of Culture in 2029. If so, it will be the third Arctic city to receive the title this decade.
Swedish LKAB Postpones Fossil-Free Sponge Iron Production in Arctic Kiruna The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB has decided to slow the transition to fossil-free sponge iron production in the Northern Swedish town of Kiruna. The new plan will reduce the company's enormous electricity needs.
Arne O. Holm is Snowbound in Northern Finland and Experiences Kiruna's Cruisers in Their Natural Habitat Editor and commentator in High North News, Arne O. Holm is forced to park the motorhome in heavy snow in northern Finland, but has a pleasant experience in northern Sweden.
Lower Results for LKAB in the Third Quarter The Swedish mining company LKAB reports production challenges in this year's third quarter. High inventory levels for pellets following the Iron Ore Line derailments meant that the weak production did not limit the capacity to deliver, however.
Mass Redundancies at the Battery Producer Northvolt in Sweden 1,600 people are losing their jobs in Northvolt in Sweden. The company announced a downsizing earlier this month.
Financial Struggles for Battery Producer: Closing Parts of Factory in Northern Sweden Battery producer Northvolt has had to implement drastic measures due to its financial situation. It is announcing, among other things, layoffs and the closure of parts of the factory in Northern Sweden.
Fossil-Free Steel Production in Northern Sweden: The Hybrit Project Goes Industrial The Swedish Hybrit project, aiming for fossil-free iron and steel production, is now moving into the next phase in which the process will be implemented in an industrial scale. The end report after six years of research was delivered this week.
Collaborates With the Swedish and Norwegian Armed Forces on the Purchase of New Railcars Bane NOR has entered into an agreement with the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Swedish Armed Forces regarding the acquisition of new railcars. "The agreement involves a significant improvement in capacity for military transport on the railways in both Norway and Sweden," says CEO Thor Gjermund Eriksen.
Finnish Police Could Intervene in Northern Sweden Finnish police will be allowed to intervene against criminals on Swedish soil in cases of extreme crime, such as murder, rape, and robberies, in situations where Swedish police cannot get there in time.
Pan-Arctic Vision 2024 in Greenland: Seeking Arctic Artists To This Fall's Big Stage in Nuuk This year's Pan-ArcticVision will take place in Greenland in October – and calls for contributions from Arctic artists with northern tones and words to express. This is an adventurous opportunity to form border-crossing bonds, share music, and strike a blow for the power of definition in the circumpolar north, the organizers tempt.
US Military Convoy Exits Sweden and Enters Finland in 550-Mile Journey in the North Several hundred US soldiers and military vehicles have moved from Narvik to Finland through Northern Sweden for Immediate Response 24. "This is the first time Sweden conducts host nation support as a NATO ally. Through supporting our allies from the US forces, we support the entire alliance's operative ability," says Commander of the Swedish Northern Military Region.
Practicing Norway’s Role as a Transit Country for Allied Forces Going to Sweden and Finland This week, a US ship with military personnel will arrive in Narvik, Northern Norway, in connection with the military exercise Immediate Response 2024. Several hundred American vehicles and containers will be unloaded in the Port of Narvik to be further transported via Sweden to an exercise in Finland.
Iron Ore Line Issues Continue to Impact LKAB: Cut in Production and Other Possible Measures The mining company LKAB in Northern Sweden is now cutting production due to the reduced capacity of the Iron Ore Line. The company believes it might need to take even more drastic measures to limit production, which could lead to a loss of income of around SEK 5 billion annually.
SSAB With New Billion Euro Investment in Fossil-Free Steel in Northern Sweden Global steel company SSAB’s Board of Directors has decided to build a new fossil-free steel mill in Luleå, Northern Sweden. The investment is estimated to be a whopping EUR 4.5 billion.
New Iron Ore Line Derailment: Cannot Rule Out Sabotage Days after the opening of the Iron Ore Line, another iron ore train derailed on the railway line between Norway and Sweden in the North. Swedish police have initiated investigations of both incidents and do not rule out sabotage.
New Major Dividend From LKAB to the Swedish State of SEK 7.6 Billion The Swedish mining company LKAB's year-end report for 2023 shows the company's profit is somewhat stable compared to 2022. However, the company specifies that developing the Iron Ore Line will be crucial for both present volumes and future production increases.
EU Supports Iron Ore Line Projects: Important Upgrades For Civilian and Military Use The European Commission supports several Swedish transport projects, including the Iron Ore Line, with EUR 54 million. The purpose is to upgrade critical transport infrastructure in the EU, which is considered to be of great use for both civilian and defence purposes.
The Iron Ore Line Reopens This Week: LKAB Has Products in Stock Equivalent to 400 Ore Trains The mining company LKAB has iron ore products worth millions on hold after the derailment on the Iron Ore Line. Delivering the products in stock to customers can take several years. "We usually run 10 ore trains a day between Kiruna and Narvik, and when the traffic resumes, these will be used to transport the daily production," says LKAB's Press Manager.
H2 Green Steel Secures Loans of SEK 48 Billion for Northern Sweden Steel Plant The steel company H2 Green Steel has secured debt financing of SEK 48 billion for what could be the world's first large-scale green steel plant in Boden, Northern Sweden.
Over 200 000 Tonnes of Seafood Sent Annually via the Ofoten Line: The Derailment Highlights Need for Double Track Significant amounts of seafood are annually transported via railway from Narvik in Northern Norway through Sweden to Oslo. After the Iron Ore Line derailment, trailers have transported the goods to Kiruna. However, if the situation persists and the winter fisheries get in full swing, there might be a lack of available vehicles, says the Deputy Managing Director of the Norwegian Seafood Federation.
Infrastructure for Northern Sweden's Green Shift: Planning Boden-Luleå Double Track The Swedish Transport Administration has secured funds to develop railway plans for a double track between Boden and Luleå in Northern Sweden. The funding for the construction itself has not yet been secured. Still, the Transport Administration is now speeding up the work, which will be important to the major industrial projects planned in the region.
"Ofoten Railway Line Needs a Double Track by 2035" The iron ore train derailment in Northern Sweden brings up the debate about a double track on the Ofoten Line: "What has happened now should be a serious wake-up call for Bane Nor, the Norwegian Railway Directorate, the government, and parliament. The same goes for Swedish authorities. A double track can no longer be postponed," says the mayor of Narvik in Northern Norway.
Iron Ore Traffic Expected Resumed at the End of January: Derailment in Northern Sweden Hits LKAB Hard The extent of the iron ore derailment in Northern Sweden is becoming more apparent, and the prognosis for resumed traffic is now set for the end of January. The stoppage strongly affects the mining company LKAB, with an estimated daily revenue loss of SEK 100 million.
New Derailment on the Iron Ore Line Between Northern Sweden and Norway An iron ore train has derailed on the Iron Ore Line between Kiruna and Narvik. There are significant damages to the tracks and the overhead line. Therefore, all traffic on the train line north of Kiruna has stopped.
