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GAC Norway opens new Arctic Circle branch

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GAC Norway’s regional manager Henning Kjøs Lien (far right) with the team he is working with at Tromsø
Growing interest in year-round Arctic cruises has prompted GAC Norway to open its newest branch, in Tromsø.

Sitting 300km north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is the largest urban area in Northern Norway and serves as a portal to the Arctic.

It is a popular year round port of call for cruise vessels, including Northern Lights itineraries as well as mid summer cruises.

In 2018, Tromsø welcomed 116 cruise calls and more than 140,000 arriving passengers.

In the past two years, GAC has seen a significant increase in activity at the port, following the signing of two new cruise contracts.

In 2018, the company handled about 50 vessels calling at the port through a local partner. With that figure expected set to double in the coming two to three years, it was decided to establish GAC’s own presence at Tromsø.

The office opened last month in a new building that forms part of the Siva Innovation Centre near Tromsø’s Breivika Cruise Port.

It provides a direct link to the full range of shipping, logistics and cruise support services provided by GAC Norway.

At the helm is regional manager Henning Kjøs Lien, who joins GAC after working in Arctic logistics in Svalbard.

‘The spectrum of GAC services and experience the new office will offer represents an essential addition to the Arctic area,’ he remarked.