Göran Persson in Dagens Industri: Fix the Iron Ore Line
In an interview with Jens Kärrman from Swedish publication Dagens Industri, Göran Persson – chairman of LKAB; demands that something be done about the Iron Ore Line in Northern Sweden. Otherwise our green transition might be in jeopardy.
The Iron Ore Line spans 398 kilometers and is extremely important to the industry in our region, as well as for the whole of Sweden. Its significance will only grow over the next decade. Despite several billion SEK being allocated to the Iron Ore Line during the 2020s, including new meeting places and the replacement of tracks and switches, it will not be enough, Göran Persson tells DI:
“It is necessary for the state to take the lead in the urgent refurbishment of the Iron Ore Line, as it is strategically important for all projects we talk about (in Northern Sweden). If not, we will reach a point where the deficiencies of the Iron Ore Line will hinder development of these projects”.
Göran Persson also argues that it is now time for politicians to seriously address and prioritise the issue of the Iron Ore Line:
“Someone will have to dare say that this is more important than anything else, and make it a political statement. And that’s what I want”.
“When do we need them to act?”
“Now. That’s the problem. Anyone involved in this kind of thing knows that it takes time. We have major industrial projects around the corner. It doesn’t match the infrastructure on the ground”, concludes Persson.
Read the full article, in Swedish, on DI.se.