The Port of Tvøroyri was dealt a blow with a large fire that saw the Varðin Pelagic freezing plant burn to the ground early this summer.
[Bui Tyril]
With 150 people temporarily out of work and ship traffic dramatically reduced, the consequences are being felt through the island of Suðuroy — the factory had become the symbol of Tvøroyri’s newfound optimism, an important employer and a vital generator of revenue for local businesses and authorities.
According to port director Jón Bogi Guttesen, community leaders hope the processing facility, which caught fire on 9th June, will be rebuilt and back in operation in the first quarter of 2018.
“This is a huge issue for the Port of Tvøroyri and the local community, although we’re confident the factory will soon be rebuilt,” Mr. Guttesen said. “The owners have received a conditional building permit on a 11,400-square meter area and are working on a new design. They have stated their willingness to not only fully comply with the Council’s new regulations on industrial buildings but even to go beyond it in some respects. Obviously, getting everything in place, including all the materials needed for construction and fitting out, is going to take a certain amount of time; we hope to see the new facility up and running as early as possible next year, however we do not have an actual time estimate at this point.”
