Andalsnes (Norway)

Andalsnes is a port town in Rauma Municipality (More og Romsdal county, Norway), with a population of around 2,500. It received town status in 1996. The town is located on Romsdalsfjorden, close to Isfjorden and at the mouth of Rauma River. The local economy is based on salmon fishing and tourism.

In June 2022, Enova SF (Norwegian state-owned enterprise) provided grants for installing shore power connectivity at several Norwegian cruise ports (including Andalsnes), scheduled for completion and inauguration in 2023. Between 2016-2022, Enova granted a total of NOK 842 million for 119 such projects. The technology allows the berthed cruise ship to shut down its diesel engines and instead use the city-grid electricity for the onboard hotel operations and services, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. Enova SF (2001-founded government enterprise) is owned by Norway's Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and managed by the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

Town's harbour is named "NATO Kaia" (NATO harbour) and also serves cruise ships. In 2018, the cruise port handled 55 ship calls (23% increase over 2017).

During WW2 (1939-1945), after the German invasion of Norway (April 1940), British troops landed here as part of an operation to take Trondheim. The UK forces lacked control of the air and were withdrawn in May 1940.

Rauma River flows through Romsdalen valley, which has some of Norway's most spectacular sceneries. Trollveggen (Troll Wall, one of the valley's cliff formations) has a vertical drop of over 1000 m (3300 ft) and is a popular site for BASE jumpers (parachuting/wingsuit flying from a cliff / fixed structure).

Andalsnes cruise terminal