Yokohama → Rotterdam
vs Suez Canal −4,866 nm · −11 daysDays saved
11 days
42% shorter
Iceland's first deep-water harbour
A green industrial park and port on the western shore of Hvalfjörður, beside Grundartangi and within easy reach of Reykjavík. Engineered for the circular economy.
Project overview
- Deep-water access
- Green industrial park
- Near Grundartangi
When the future Arctic Route opens
When the Transpolar Sea Route opens,
global trade gets shorter.
The route marked on the globe above - crossing the Arctic Ocean via the North Pole - is the Transpolar Sea Route (TSR). Distances below combine published sea-lane benchmarks for traditional corridors with TSR paths calculated from the waypoints on this map. Days at sea use corridor-typical speeds from peer-reviewed shipping studies: 12.5 kn in the Arctic, 14.5 kn via Suez, 14 kn via Panama.
42%
Max distance saved
Yokohama → Rotterdam vs Suez Canal (11,700 → 6,834 nm)
11
Days fewer at sea
Same corridor: ~34 days via Suez vs ~23 days via TSR
3,200
Polar crossing (nm)
Core TSR segment over the Arctic Ocean on the map above
~20%
Faster than NSR
Additional transit-time reduction vs the Northern Sea Route (Brownlee, 2024)
Shanghai → Rotterdam
vs Suez Canal −3,291 nm · −6 daysDays saved
6 days
31% shorter
Los Angeles → Rotterdam
vs Panama Canal −1,483 nm · −2 daysDays saved
2 days
18% shorter
Shanghai → New York
vs Suez Canal −3,348 nm · −6 daysDays saved
6 days
28% shorter
Los Angeles → New York
vs Panama Canal −1,378 nm · −1 dayDays saved
1 day
15% shorter
Why distance ≠ days
Arctic corridors typically sail slower than Suez or Panama services - ice, weather, and operational caution limit speed to roughly 12.5 kn, against 14-14.5 kn on southern routes. Even so, the TSR's geometric advantage is large enough to cut transit time by 6-11 days on Asia-Europe lanes. A 2025 TUM/Everllence study found the Northern Sea Route saves ~15% in time over Suez for Rotterdam-Yokohama; the TSR adds a further ~20% reduction over NSR (Brownlee, 2024).
Galtarhöfn on the Atlantic exit
The TSR path on the globe terminates at Galtarhöfn - a deep-water North Atlantic gateway where Arctic-capable vessels can transship cargo to conventional Europe and US services. As the polar crossing opens to seasonal traffic, this fjord port sits at the natural hand-off between the shortest ocean route and the world's major markets.
Northeast & Northwest passages
East & west Arctic passages
The section above describes the future Transpolar Sea Route (TSR) over the North Pole. Here the focus is different: the two Arctic corridors ships can already sail today. The Northeast Passage (east) follows Russia's Arctic coast from the Pacific to the Atlantic; the Northwest Passage (west) crosses the Canadian Arctic from the Pacific. On the globe, both exit at Galtarhöfn before services continue to Europe or the US. Distances are conceptual sums from the map waypoints, not navigational charts.
Asia → Europe
Up to ~2,880 km shorter vs Suez (Northeast best)Northeast Passage · via Galtarhöfn (Pacific → Russian Arctic → Iceland → Europe)
16,470 km
Northwest Passage · via Galtarhöfn (Pacific → Canadian Arctic → Iceland → Europe)
20,450 km
Traditional (Suez Canal)
19,350 km
US West Coast → Europe
Up to ~1,490 km shorter vs Panama (Northwest best)Northwest Passage · via Galtarhöfn (Pacific → Canadian Arctic → Iceland → Europe)
14,140 km
Northeast Passage · via Galtarhöfn (Pacific → Bering Strait → Russian Arctic → Iceland → Europe)
15,150 km
Traditional (Panama Canal)
15,630 km
Europe → New York
Hub value: transshipment, not distanceVia Galtarhöfn hub
6,760 km
Direct Atlantic
6,310 km
Supply routes into the Arctic
As mining, energy and project cargo grows in the High North, Galtarhöfn is the last deep-water port before ice-class waters. Supply from North America can stage here instead of detouring through continental European hubs. From Britain and mainland Europe, Galtarhöfn is itself an Arctic industrial port at 64°N.
US East Coast → Hammerfest
~1,830 km shorter (~23%)Via Galtarhöfn hub
6,220 km
Via Rotterdam transshipment
8,050 km
US East Coast → Svalbard
~2,520 km shorter (~29%)Via Galtarhöfn hub
6,180 km
Via Rotterdam transshipment
8,710 km
US East Coast → Tromsø
~1,820 km shorter (~23%)Via Galtarhöfn hub
6,040 km
Via Rotterdam transshipment
7,860 km
Galtarhöfn ↔ Europe
2,000 km
Galtarhöfn ↔ New York
4,750 km
US West Coast ↔ Galtarhöfn
12,140 km
Asia Pacific ↔ Bering Strait
6,890 km
North Atlantic transshipment
Arctic-capable feeders can discharge at Galtarhöfn and transfer cargo to conventional deep-sea vessels for Europe and North America, without every ship sailing the full Atlantic leg.
Deep-water berth at the Arctic exit
1,000 m of quay and 20 m draft accommodate the largest post-Arctic vessels in a sheltered fjord, with infrastructure few North Atlantic ports can match.
Green corridor positioning
Shorter passages cut fuel and emissions per tonne-mile. Shore power at every berth reinforces the low-carbon story for operators on emerging Arctic lanes.
These figures are not the TSR projections above. Distances sum great-circle segments between waypoints on this conceptual map. Actual voyages vary with ice, season, canal fees, and port calls; both passages remain ice-class and weather-dependent.
The Project
A new gateway for
Southwest Iceland.
Galtarhöfn (GH Harbour) is a new deep-water port and industrial zone on the western shore of Hvalfjörður, directly adjacent to the established Grundartangi area. It is designed to absorb the overflow from Grundartangi, which is at capacity, and to serve as the Greater Reykjavík region's next major cargo and cruise terminal.
01
Deep-water by design
One of Iceland's deepest and most sheltered fjords, with up to 20 metres of draft at the quay wall. Natural depth, minimal dredging, world-class approach.
02
A kilometre of quay
1,000 metres of continuous berth able to serve bulk carriers, container ships, RoRo vessels, and the largest modern cruise ships, all shore-powered.
03
101.7 hectares
Of industrial and port land zoned for circular-economy operations, with lot sizes from 0.8 ha to 4 ha and build heights up to 18 m.
04
Green-park principles
Every tenant operates inside a closed loop: clean water, geothermal heat, renewable grid power, and waste-heat recovery from vessels.
05
Adjacent to Grundartangi
Directly west of Iceland's largest industrial cluster, with zero residential neighbours, full existing road network, and immediate grid access.
Port Zone
37.1 ha
Industrial Zone (AF15)
64.6 ha
Max Build Height
18 m
Lot Sizes
0.8 to 4 ha
Why Now
Grundartangi is full.
Sundahöfn is shrinking.
The Greater Reykjavík region is running out of deep-water port capacity exactly as demand accelerates. Galtarhöfn is the only site within 50 kilometres of the capital that can meet the coming decade of growth.
The Problem
- Grundartangi port is fully booked several days per week, vessels must wait or divert.
- Planned expansions (salmon farming, a magnesium plant, Eimskip operations) will only increase pressure.
- Sundahöfn in Reykjavík faces downsizing as the capital densifies and Sundabraut redirects freight north.
- No comparable deep-water alternative exists within 50 km of Reykjavík.
"Due to changed conditions, including densification in Reykjavík, there is significant demand for spacious operational areas near the capital region. Businesses have increasingly been moving operations outside the city."
Hvalfjarðarsveit municipal planning document
Planning source quote
Municipal planning materials describe rising demand for spacious operational areas near the capital region as Reykjavík continues to densify.
Hvalfjarðarsveit municipal planning document
The Solution
- A dedicated 1,000 m quay with up to 20 m draft, engineered for the largest bulk carriers and cruise ships.
- 101.7 hectares of industrial land zoned for warehousing, processing, logistics and on-site production.
- Direct connection to Route 1, with Sundabraut and Hvalfjarðargöng II reducing travel time to Reykjavík to under 30 minutes.
- Green-park operating model, circular-economy infrastructure from day one.
Location
Where Hvalfjörður
meets the ring road.
Galtarhöfn sits on the north shore of Hvalfjörður near its western mouth, one of Iceland's most sheltered and deepest fjords, immediately west of the Grundartangi heavy-industry zone on the Klafastaðir lands in Hvalfjarðarsveit. The Hvalfjarðargöng tunnel puts Reykjavík just 40 km away; Akranes is 15 km to the west, Borgarnes 40 km north.
To Reykjavík
40 km
To Akranes
15 km
Natural Depth
Up to 20 m
Residential Conflicts
None
Infrastructure 2026-2032
Four national roadworks,
one transformed region.
Four major government transport projects will dramatically improve connectivity to Galtarhöfn over the next five to seven years, each one directly strengthens the port's viability.
Sundabraut, Kjalarnes II, Hvalfjárðargöng II and Route 1 upgrades will cut Reykjavík to Galtarhöfn travel to about 25-30 minutes and more than double corridor freight capacity.
Site Plan
101.7 hectares,
purpose-built.
Two zones, one vision: an industrial area tuned for large-footprint operations, and a dedicated port area engineered for the largest vessels, all connected to Iceland's renewable grid and to the Gandheimar mine on-site.
101.7 ha split between AF15 industrial (64.6 ha) and a dedicated port zone (37.1 ha), with lots from 0.8-4 ha and quay, power and water engineered for large-footprint tenants.
Read full site plan
AF15 Industrial
64.6 ha
Warehousing, processing, logistics, on-site production
Port Zone
37.1 ha
Quay, storage yards, port operations
Total
101.7 ha
Lot sizes 0.8 to 4 ha · Max height 18 m
Key Infrastructure
- 1,000 m quay wall, bulk, container, cruise-capable.
- Up to 20 m draft, accommodates the largest deep-sea vessels.
- Shore power at every berth, every vessel plugs in, zero harbour emissions.
- 10 MW+ electrical capacity from Landsnet, renewable by default.
- Dual water system, separate drinking and industrial water networks.
- Direct Route 1 access, Iceland's ring road at the perimeter.
Port Services
Every class of vessel.
Every category of cargo.
A multi-purpose terminal designed for bulk, container, RoRo, cruise and project cargo, connected to a 4.8 million m³ verified aggregate reserve on-site at the Gandheimar mine.
Multi-purpose quay for bulk, containers, RoRo, cruise and project cargo, 1,000 m berth, 20 m draft, shore power, tied to the on-site Gandheimar aggregate reserve.
Bulk cargo
Ferrosilicon, cement, aggregate, fishmeal, grain, fertiliser, direct quay loading from on-site processing.
Aggregate & sand export
High-grade material from the Gandheimar mine processed on-site and shipped throughout Iceland and Europe.
Container handling
Overflow capacity for Sundahöfn as Reykjavík densifies, with faster turnarounds and no queuing.
Cruise terminal
20 m draft allows the largest modern cruise vessels, 5,000+ passengers, shore-powered while docked.
RoRo capability
Vehicles, machinery and heavy equipment, with laydown area and direct ring-road access.
Project cargo
Wind-turbine components, industrial modules, oversized units, 1,000 m quay and 18 m build height.
Energy Exchange
Ships don't just consume.
They participate.
Every berth is wired for a two-way energy flow: renewable shore power out, residual heat back in. The port behaves like a living organ of Iceland's energy grid.
Every berth exchanges renewable shore power for waste heat: geothermal, grid balancing and autonomous operations designed with Landsnet in mind.
Circular Economy
A park where materials
never become waste.
Galtarhöfn is built on the philosophy of the circular economy, the operational model for every tenant on site. Sharing, repairing, reusing, remanufacturing and recycling, with clean water, geothermal heat and renewable electricity as the substrate.
Tenants operate in a closed loop: clean water, geothermal heat, renewable power and on-site materials flow between port, mine and industry, designed so resources stay productive, not waste.
Clean Water
pH 8.8 mineral water, 30-50 L/s
Geothermal
179°C hot water for heat & power
Renewable Grid
Hydro + geothermal from Landsnet
Gandheimar Mine
4.8 M m³ verified aggregate reserve
Tenants
Processing, prefab, bottling, logistics
Port Export
Direct mine-to-ship loading, zero intermediate transport
Project Status
Live today.
Operational by 2029.
Zoning has been approved by Hvalfjarðarsveit. Public notice of proposal ended on 27 May 2026. Environmental impact assessment is underway under Act 111/2021.
Formal planning case (Skipulagsgáttin), live status and documents →
Planning process
Zoning approved; public notice of proposal ended 27 May 2026; environmental impact assessment underway under Act 111/2021.
Development phase
Formal planning track on Skipulagsgáttin with live documents and stakeholder input.
Construction / preparation
Quay wall, core infrastructure and utilities targeted from 2027 onward.
2029 operational target
First deep-water berths and initial tenants scheduled to enter service.
Resources
Press &
documents.
A downloadable reference from the official Galtarhöfn site and independent press coverage.
Contact
Get in touch.
[email protected] +354 612 7879Project Lead
Gunnar Þór Gunnarsson
Forsvarsmaður · Galtarhöfn ehf.