Bane NOR
Modernising Bergen’s freight terminal with flood-resilient infrastructure
Climate-related infrastructure risk: Flooding, heavy rainfall, stormwater pressure and disruption to freight terminal operations
Solution pathway: Freight terminal modernisation, flood-resilient design, improved drainage, rain gardens and continued operational planning
Business type: Railway infrastructure manager
Sector: Rail freight, transport infrastructure and logistics terminals
Geography: Bergen, Norway
In practice
Bane NOR’s Nygårdstangen–Bergen–Fløen project modernised Bergen’s rail infrastructure and freight terminal, including improvements to track capacity, terminal operations and surrounding infrastructure. The project had to maintain both freight terminal operations and passenger services during construction, making operational continuity a central part of the work.
Climate resilience was built into the project design. The terrain was raised to improve flood resilience, and the stormwater system was designed for a 200-year return period. The project also included rain gardens and improved drainage to manage water more effectively on site.
This makes the case particularly relevant for warehousing and logistics because it shows how fixed freight assets can be upgraded to manage heavier rainfall and flood risk while maintaining logistics capacity. It also highlights that resilience is not only about protecting one building: it can include drainage, terrain levels, freight capacity, construction phasing and continuity of service.
Why this example was selected
This case study was curated because the project received strong third-party recognition through BREEAM Infrastructure. The Nygårdstangen–Bergen–Fløen project achieved an “Excellent” BREEAM Infrastructure rating of 82.72%, with the assessment highlighting sustainability performance, flood resilience, stormwater management and the ability to maintain operations during construction.
The freight terminal has also received BREEAM Infrastructure Term Contracts certification for operational performance, showing that resilience and sustainability were considered beyond the construction phase. This gives the case a strong external validation basis and makes it a useful example of certified logistics-infrastructure resilience.
Key lesson
Freight and logistics operators can reduce asset exposure by upgrading terminals, drainage and stormwater systems for future climate conditions, while planning works so that critical logistics services can continue during disruption or construction.
