Crane company faces transportation challenges in East Iceland due to bridge conditions

A crane company based in East Iceland is facing challenges transporting its crane home from a project in the Westfjords. Due to the deteriorating condition of the country’s bridges, particularly on Route 1, the company cannot drive the crane back as intended. Instead, they must transport it by ship to the Faroe Islands and then back to Iceland, incurring significant costs.

The problematic bridge over Jökulsá á Fjöllum cannot support heavy loads, leading to complications during the crane’s return journey. Earlier this year, the company Kranar ehf. managed to obtain permission to transport a 58-ton crane from Eskifjörður to Súðavík, but they were denied a similar exemption for the return journey after summer due to newly discovered cracks in several bridges.

While the company received permissions to transport the crane by trailer to Þorlákshöfn, it could not go any further. The bridges over Jökulsá á Fjöllum and Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi are no longer reliable for such heavy vehicles. The necessary modifications to facilitate safe crossing are costly and time-consuming.

Earlier this year, similar issues arose when attempting to transport the crane to Fáskrúðsfjörður, where it could not cross an old bridge without significant repairs. Consequently, transporting large machinery between built-up areas in Iceland is becoming increasingly difficult, leading to higher costs and environmental concerns due to the extended transportation routes required. The crane’s unexpected detour to the Faroe Islands is projected to be expensive, adding delays to the project.