Denmark ambassador Freddy Svane (centre) with Bengal industries minister Partha Chatterjee (left) and Subrata Saha, minister-in-charge for food processing, in Calcutta on Wednesday. Picture by Kishor Roy Chowdhury

Calcutta, May 8: The ambassadors of five Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — have offered their countries’ expertise in food processing, clean technology, hydro electricity and maritime business and expressed their keenness to explore opportunities in Bengal.

Danish ambassador Freddy Svane said his country’s shipping vessels could help Bengal to ramp up exports with neighbouring countries provided the state’s deep-sea ports were ready to handle such traffic.

“Danish shipping companies transport 10 per cent of global sea-borne trade. APM Terminals, a Danish company, operates two terminals in Mumbai and Gujarat. Given the size of Bengal, we are looking at policies and visions laid down by the government here.

“We need deep-sea ports here. If the state wants to export its produce, be it iron, sea food, it needs deep-sea ports. Now only barges can come which is time consuming and costly,” he said on the sidelines of an event organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

He said the five envoys would visit an Indian state each year as a group. So far, trade in goods between the region and India is around $6-10 billion. “This year, we have come to Bengal and we will focus on food processing, tourism and clean energy. Our job is to identify opportunities, and how they will translate into business will be decided by the respective business communities,” he said.

Bengal industries minister Partha Chatterjee said deep-sea ports would come up soon at Sagar and Rasulpur.