About us

Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL)

The Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL) was initiated by the Tschudi Shipping Company (TSC) in collaboration with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA). The initiative was announced on 26th of November 2008, and on 27th of May 2009 CHNL became a non-profit foundation (“stiftelse”).

CHNL promotes economically and environmentally sustainable, reliable and innovative transport and logistics solutions in the High North. This we do through contributions to research and development (R&D), educational programs and dissemination of research results, advisory activity and information sharing for and together with businesses, public authorities, NGOs and other stakeholders.

About the Centre for High North Logistics

CHNL was established in 2009 as a business foundation (stiftelse), managed by a director and a board of directors, in order to create an international knowledge hub on Arctic transportation and logistics for businesses, research institutions and public authorities. The goal was that CHNL would be a bridge between academia and the business community and a key mediator of knowledge of transportation and logistics opportunities and challenges in the Arctic.

The initial Barents 2020 project to establish CHNL was part of the Global Maritime Knowledge Hub (GMKH) initiative launched by the Oslo Maritime Network and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association in 2008. The purpose of GMKH was to increase maritime research and education as well as exploit synergies between the various technological and economic maritime disciplines. The main funding for CHNL between 2009 and 2015 came from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tschudi Shipping Company, with additional contributions from DNV GL, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, and Nord University.

CHNL became a university center at the Nord University Business School in Bodo in 2016 with yearly contribution from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The center continues to be managed by a director and a board of directors representing the business and academic community.

  • CHNL’s research staff is located at Nord University Business School in Bodo.
  • CHNL’s administrative office is in Kirkenes in North Norway close by the Norwegian-Russian border. CHNL’s managing director is based in Kirkenes.

CHNL's goals

  • CHNL will be the leading academic center for information and research on Arctic transportation and logistics and the preferred source of information for businesses and the industry.
  • CHNL will strengthen research and educational cooperation with leading Norwegian and international research and educational institutions on Arctic transport and logistics.
  • CHNL will strengthen its network and cooperation through strategic partnerships with key Norwegian and international research organizations, NGO’s and businesses.
  • CHNL will provide short courses and seminars for national and international business on Arctic transport and logistics operations and infrastructure development, opportunities and challenges, to promote knowledge sharing and contribute to value creation.

CHNL’s Main Activities

  • Conduct research, manage projects and case studies
  • Publication of books, book chapters, proceedings, articles in journals and magazines
  • Organization of conferences, workshops, short courses and seminars
  • Student advising, assisting other researchers, lecturing, and curriculum development
  • Networking and cooperation with Norwegian and foreign universities and research organizations (e.g. from Russia, US Alaska, Canada, South-Korea, Japan, China etc.)
  • Provide information and critical data to commercial shipping and support industries on current transport and logistics operations in the Arctic and future development.

CHNL’s initial role

CHNL’s initial role was to build up an international knowledge hub on Arctic transportation and logistics for businesses, research institutions and public authorities alike. CHNL would provide up-to-date and relevant information on logistic activities in the Arctic, arrange workshops, and discuss and develop project ideas followed by case studies or actual demonstrations. The intention was to build a bridge between academia, the business sector and the authorities. This continues to be central in the work of the centre.

  • The HQ of the centre has from the start been located in Kirkenes. CHNL’s Information Office is located in Kirkenes. Since 2017 key research activities have been located to Nord University in Bodø.
  • CHNL has built up strong partnerships related to Arctic transportation, logistics and infrastructure development within Norway, Russia, US Alaska, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, South Korea, Japan, China, and Germany.
  • CHNL became a part of the Nord University (NU) in Bodø in 2016 – and is now a university centre within the Business School of Nord University.
  • CHNL currently has six staff members (full-time and part-time) based in Bodø and Kirkenes.
  • CHNL receives approx. 5 mill NOK per year in core funding from the Norwegian Government but is also generating additional project specific funding.
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CHNL IO: CHNL Information Office Information quoted in this webpage has been obtained from a variety of sources. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that details are correct, Center for High North Logistics cannot provide any guarantees thereof. Moreover, neither CHNL nor any of its offices and employees accept any responsibility or liability in negligence or otherwise, howsoever caused, as a result of a visitor to our web site’s relying on the information contained herein.