Norwegians eye aluminium plant in Murmansk

One of the world’s biggest producers of aluminium and aluminium products, the Norwegian industrial mayor Hydro, intends to build a new plant outside Murmansk on the coast of the Barents Sea. In a meeting with regional authorities today, company representatives said the projected plant will produce 470,000 tons of aluminium and have 6000 employees. A top-level delegation from Hydro today met with regional Governor Yuri Yevdokimov to discuss the project. Company representative Bjarne Reinholdt presented the plans, according to which an up to 2000 square meter area by the mouth of the Kola Bay will reserved the new plant. It is important that the territory has developed infrastructure and exit to the ice-free bay, Mr. Reinholdt said, B-port.com reports. –We intend to process about 470,000 tons of aluminium, he added. If the project goes as planned, a total of 6000 new jobs will be created. In the construction period, up to 4000 workers will have to be engaged, B-port reports. Gas and aluminium The announcement of Hydro's industrial plans in Murmansk Oblast comes as the Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea is on the threshold of development. The gas field field, which according to plans is to be in production from 2013, could be a major source of energy for the projected aluminium plant. It is expected that the new plant will be built on the western shore of the Kola Bay. Regional authorities in Murmansk are currently in the process of preparing the area for new industrial activities, among them a new coal terminal, oil terminal and container terminal. Also a new railway line is to be built to the area. Long process As previously reported by BarentsObserver, Hydro has for several years shown interest in the construction of a new plant in Murmansk Oblast. Earlier however, the company first of all showed interest in an area further south in the peninsula. The company headed by President Eivind Reiten is well known with the situation in the Kola Peninsula. Before the merger Statoil, Hydro and Mr. Reiten was in hard negotiations with Gazprom over participation in the Shtokman field. Hydro is the third-largest integrated aluminium supplier in the world. Based in Norway, the company employs 22,000 people in more than 30 countries and has activities on all continents. Until last year, the Hydro Aluminium was part of the bigger Norsk Hydro company. Today, after the petroleum part of the company merged with Statoil, Hydro exists as a company specialised in aluminium production. --barents observer.com