Nor-Shipping Reschedules for April 2022

The organizers of the biennial Nor-Shipping conference have decided to postpone the next edition until April 4-7, 2022, giving more time for authorities in Norway to bring a new surge of COVID-19 cases under control. 

With the Omicron variant driving rapid growth in COVID case counts in Northern Europe, the Norwegian government announced Monday that it would be imposing social-distancing and masking restrictions for some public gatherings through mid-January. Nor-Shipping 2022 was scheduled to take place from January 10-13, and conference organizers announced late Monday that they would postpone the event in light of the uncertainty surrounding Omicron and the impact of the new rules. 

On Wednesday, Nor-Shipping announced that an in-person conference is still on for 2022, and it will be held from April 4-7. The rescheduled date will allow for easier international travel and less social distancing. 

"It was obviously disappointing to postpone the January programme, but the power of Nor-Shipping lies in its ability to bring diverse stakeholders face-to-face, build relationships, share solutions, inspire one another, and do business. That would have been impossible under the current Omicron restrictions," said Sidsel Norvik, Director of Nor-Shipping. “This move allows authorities here, and abroad, to control the situation, while also shifting our activity to a time of the year when infection rates are naturally lower."

By shifting the conference to April, after restrictions have lifted, the organizers will also be able to maintain some of Nor-Shipping's traditional networking events, like the After Work gatherings in Oslo's Aker Brygge district. 

Exhibitors and attendees who booked for January 2022 will have their tickets and floor space reservations transferred to the new date. The conference organizers are currently working on revamping the activity schedule for the show to account for the change in timing.