Infrastructure

Ever improving roads and impressive new tunnels are bringing the Faroe Islands together as a nation as never before.

Until comparatively recently, the only transport options linking the 17 inhabited islands of the Faroes were weather-dependent ferry services and an irregular helicopter operation. Now 85 per cent of the population is linked directly to the national road network without the need to use a ferry.

Satellite Harbours

This is good news for users of the Port of Tórshavn and the harbours at Sund and Kollafjørður. Situated in the geographical heart of the country and already the nation’s maritime and commercial centre, Tórshavn is more than ever a gateway of choice for cargo moving to and from the Faroe Islands.

A better transport system allows customers shipping their goods via the Port of Tórshavn to benefit from economies of scale, with quicker and more direct access to points throughout the Faroe Islands and more frequent outbound schedules for time-sensitive and high-value cargoes.

A major inter-island link was established in 2002 with the opening of the 4.9 km Vágar Tunnel connecting the Faroes’ largest island, Streymoy, with Vágoy, where the international airport is located. As a result, the airport is just 45 minutes from the centre of Tórshavn, with an even shorter journey time from Sund and Kollafjørður. Benefits include faster and easier crew changes for fishing vessels using Tórshavn, Sund and Kollafjørður as well as simpler and more straightforward delivery of urgent spare parts and supplies.

Tunnel

A second vital piece in the transport jigsaw was the 6.2 km Norðoya Tunnel, which opened in April 2006. The tunnel links the islands of Esturoy and Borðoy. This effectively opened up key fish export markets for Tórshavn in the northern Faroes and enables consumer-type imports to be trucked to the area at lower cost.