Trade between Russia and its Nordic neighbors in 2009 dropped dramatically, figures from the Russian Customs Service show.

A new study, evaluating the prospects of an Arctic railway from Rovaniemi in northern Finland to the North-Norway coastal town of Kirkenes, shows a large potential. The estimates conclude that there could be a market for up to 40 daily trains from Finland to the Barents Sea coast.

Is there a Barents identity? That is one of the questions asked in the exhibition Pan Barentz, now on display in Moscow.

The next few years will provide new possibilities in the High North believes newly elected President of the Norwegian Shipowners' Association Thor Jørgen Guttormsen.

Murmanshelf, the association of oil- and gas suppliers in Murmansk Oblast and Northwest Russia, recently held an international seminar in Murmansk on cluster formation in the region’s oil and gas industry.

More than 3000 people participated in this year’s Barents Friendship Skiing Race, which crosses the borders between Russia, Finland and Norway.

The Svalbard “Doomsday” Global Seed Vault is surpassing 500,000 samples to become the most diverse collection of food seeds in history.

In May last year the Russian fish cargo vessel “Petrozavodsk” ran aground in the coastal cliffs of Bear Island outside Svalbard. The worst scenario for the planned removal of the wreck became reality recently when it broke in two pieces.

Regional contacts with Russia are more and more important for Norway. All three Governors of Northern Norway are heading eastward to strengthen the regions ties with Russia.

The reservoirs for CO2 storage in the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea have less capacity than expected.