There are no plans to postpone the RAL ship’s last annual call in Avanersuaq. If, contrary to expectations, there is more sea ice, this may mean that the freighter’s cargo will not reach its destinations.
Royal Arctic Line, RAL, has no plans to change the last sailing of the year to Avanersuaq.
Sermitsiaq has previously described what plans KNI A/S has to improve the recurring problems with the supply of goods in Pilersuisoq’s stores in Avanersuaq, namely that goods exceed their use-by date and are sold out.
One of the conditions that KNI A/S has pointed out is that the supply of goods could be improved if Royal Arctic Line’s last annual sailing to Avanersuaq was postponed.
– We believe that if the last ship delivery is postponed, we will be able to get goods which have not exceeded the date and which can also last into the spring, Juliane Henningsen Heilmann, communications manager at KNI A/S, has replied in writing.
The whole country must be considered
Royal Arctic Line states that in the assessment and planning of the annual sailing of places throughout the country, various conditions are taken as a starting point.
– In the planning, we do not only look at the individual residences, but that the residences throughout the country are supplied before winter sets in, writes Ann-Britta A. Olsvig, communications and marketing manager at RAL.
RAL states that you do not only look at the individual locations when you take into account the obligation to supply the entire country.
– Royal Arctic Line has a duty to supply all cities and towns in the country. That is our most important task, writes Ann-Britta A. Olsvig.
An obligation that must be fulfilled
Royal Arctic Line explains that the cargo ships sail on a fixed route, so when a ship is done in one place, it is already scheduled to continue to the next place.
– If a cargo ship calls in one place is changed, it will also cause changes in another place. When Malik Arctica has sailed to Qaanaaq and the settlements this year, the ship continues on to Ittoqqortoormiit. And it is also something that must be achieved before the year gets too advanced, writes Ann-Britta A. Olsvig.
In North Greenland, changes in the ice formation have been noticed in previous years, but this year it is difficult to say when the sea may freeze.
– We can plan based on the fact that in recent years there has been ice cream late, but our public service obligation also requires safety. If we plan to arrive later and there is sea ice, we cannot fulfill our utility obligation, writes Ann-Britta A. Olsvig.
– We are also aware that if the year’s supplies do not reach some of the residences due to early ice formation, this could have very serious consequences for the residents of the settlements, concludes Ann-Britta A. Olsvig.
