Picture: NFO Symposium 2024 participants visiting on lighthouse island Hailuoto, Finland in the end of April 2024.
50 years ago lighthouse authorities from Finland with their other Nordic countries colleagues had been founding Nordens Fyrtekniska Organisation NFO and cooperating since then in form of NFO Symposium meetings now over 50 years developing marking of waterways and aids to navigation in Nordic countries waters.
The dramatic eruption of Eldfell on the Icelandic island of Heimaey forced over 5000 people to evacuate the island in the middle of the stormy night. The eruption started without any warning in 23rd of January 1973. Sadly many of the islanders lost their homes and belongings, some of them never returned back to their home island Heimaey.
Picture: Eldheimar museum on Heimaey island in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland (picture taken at the museum 2nd June 2022).
Far less dramatic but important was then first correspondence next year during the spring 1974. Lighthouse authorities from all five Nordic countries started to organize the first cooperation meeting to Iceland with exchanging letters. First meeting was then held in Reykjavik in Iceland 26th and 27th of June 1974 and Nordens fyrtekniska organisation NFO (Nordic lighthouse organisation) of Nordic lighthouse authorities was founded.
In the beginning NFO Symposium meetings were held every year. Since 1980s NFO Symposiums have been held biennial circulating all five Nordic countries. The major intention of NFO's Nordic cooperation is focused to streamline the use of AtoNs in Nordic waters as well to build an useful network of colleagues within Nordic authorities and supply latest information of technologies from authorities and most important AtoNs equipment suppliers.
Picture: One of the first correspondence (exchange of letters) sent in April 1974 for organizing the first NFO meeting.
Picture: During NFO Symposium meetings many historical lighthouses have been visited in the Nordic countries.
Vegagerðin (The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration IRCA) organized the previous NFO Symposium in Iceland from the end of May to the beginning of June 2022. Symposium was held in Reykjavik and Hella and during the NFO Technical Tour participants also visited on Heimaey island and the Stórhöfðaviti lighthouse and Eldheimar museum there.
Picture: NFO Symposium visiting Stórhöfðaviti lighthouse on Heimaey island, Iceland 2nd June 2022.
Latest NFO Symposium was organized in Finland this year during the last week of April. Meeting hosted by Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) was held in the city of Oulu on the coastline on northernmost Baltic Sea in NW coast of Bothnian Bay. NFO Technical Tour visited Hailuoto island that was surrounded by real arctic conditions with rafted sea ice still in the end of April month. On the island was also organized a guided visit to historical Marjaniemi lighthouse NW coast of the island.
Picture: Opening speech of NFO Symposium 2024 in Oulu / Uleåborg in Finland.
Picture: Sea ice still ahead in the end of April on the northern part of the Baltic Sea.
Picture: NFO Technical Tour 2024 on a ferry to Hailuoto island.
Picture: Historical Marjaniemi lighthouse and old pilot station (Luotsihotelli -hotel at the moment) on Hailuoto island in Finland.
Picture: Normal end of April sea view from Marjaniemi lighthouse with piles of rafted ice on the northernmost Baltic Sea.
Picture: Finnpilot Pilotage Ltd pilot's Arctic Ant hydrocopter (airboat) in Hailuoto island's Marjaniemi harbour.
Picture: Marjaniemi lighthouse in the old fishing and maritime pilot harbour of Hailuoto island.
Basic information of NFO (Nordens Fyrtekniska Organisation):
- first correspondence (exchange of letters) during spring 1974
- first meeting was organized in Reykjavik in Iceland 26th and 27th of June 1974
- the intention of Nordic cooperation is to streamline the use of AtoNs in Nordic waters and to get an useful network of colleagues who can supply latest information of technologies in use
- in the end of 1970s NFO meetings were organized every year, later NFO Symposium meetings have been organized biennial
- in 1970s lighthouses and beacons still had often gas (e.g. acetylene gas) lights and e.g. AGA company was an important supplier during that time AGA lighthouses were said to be able to run for a year without maintenance. Later AtonNs got electric lights with batteries and small generators for ATONs. At this moment major technologies on AtoNs are led-lights with batteries and solarcells
- NFO Symposiums are organized biennial in Iceland, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden
- NFO cooperation member Nordic lighthouse authorities are from: Vegagerðin (IRCA ISL), Väylävirasto (FTIA FIN), Kystverket (NCA NOR), Søfartsstyrelsen (DMA DNK) and Sjöfartsverket (SMA SWE)
- the last NFO Symposium was held in the city of Oulu, Finland in the end of April 2024
- next NFO Symposium will be hosted by Kystverket (NCA) in Norway in 2026
More information:
Waterway maintenance Specialist and former NFO President (2011–2013 & 2022–2024)
Mr. Jarkko Hirvelä, tel. +358 (0)29 534 3384 or [email protected]