Jotun Coats Norway's Hålogaland Bridge

The Hålogaland bridge in Narvik, Norway, the longest suspension bridge within the Arctic Circle, recently opened.

The construction was coated with Jotun Protective solutions to ensure long-lasting anti-corrosive performance in temperatures that can fluctuate by 40° throughout the year, with winds in excess of 80 miles per hour.

Spanning 1533m across the Romsbak Fjord, the Hålogaland bridge cost NOK 3.5 billion (USD $418 million) and took five years to build.

Constructed from 30 separate sections, with 7,000 tons of bridge deck, the project cut the distance between the regional centers of Narvik and Bjerkvik by 18 km.

“Hålogaland bridge carries the main national North-South roadway, the E6, over the 300m deep fjord waters, providing a direct connection that is central to regional development,” said Hege Karset Bjorgum, global concept director infrastructure, Jotun. “Working in close collaboration with China Railway Shanhaiguan Bridge Group... Jotun delivered and applied its high-quality protective coatings to all 30 sections over a 10 month period. Our unique Jotamastic steel coating will enable this landmark project to endure the very harshest natural environments, linking communities, improving communications, and delivering lasting benefits for the local economies.”

With two A-shaped superstructure towers, rising 179 m above the water, and a central suspended deck spanning 1145 m, Hålogaland bridge has been compared to San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge. More than 900 workers were involved during the five-year build period. “Alongside the delivery and application of the product, we undertook a thorough training program with the main contractors and oversaw the quality control of all surface application and finishing,” Karset Bjorgum said. “This involved stringent technical inspections in China, as well as delivering on-site expertise during the actual installation process in Narvik."