The extended Arkhangelsk gateway, via Sweden all the way to Narvik in Norway, is marketed under the Barents Link name. Through the strong economic growth of the Northwest Russia region and in accordance with the energy resource utilisation plans of the Barents Sea area by the government of the Russian Federation, Barents Link has become a viable option for transport between the EU and Northwest Russia. The increase in rail transport in Northwest Russia has led to congestion in the ports, St. Petersburg in particular. A new connection would ease the congested rail transport situation in Northwest Russia. The project was to, for example, prioritise the development needs at the Vartius–Lytta border crossing point; conduct a feasibility study; build a BLF centre in Kostomuksha; promote the opening of the Lietmajärvi–Kostkoma track to commercial traffic; and initiate marketing of the Barents Link gateway to potential customers in Russia and Europe. The development of the connection was seen as serving the economic growth of the whole of Northern Finland. The project was planned to form a cooperation forum where the entities along the Barents Link transport gateway could together plan the construction of the future connection and, in particular, the expansion of rail transport.