Frierfjorden is a fjord

Fjord

Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...

 in the Grenland

Grenland

Grenland is a traditional district in the county of Telemark, in the south of Norway. It is composed of the municipalities Skien, Porsgrunn, Bamble, Nome, and Siljan. Sometimes the municipalities Kragerø, and Drangedal are considered being part of the area...

 traditional district

Districts of Norway

The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...

 in the county of Telemark

Telemark

is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. It stretches from Brevik

Brevik

is a town in Telemark, Norway with an estimated population of 2,700. Brevik was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 , but was merged with Porsgrunn on January 1, 1964. Brevik is regarded one of the best preserved towns from the sailing ship era...

, and Gunneklevfjord

Gunneklevfjord

Gunneklevfjord is a small fjord at the head of Frierfjord in Porsgrunn municipality in Telemark county, Norway.The west side of Gunneklevfjord is defined by the peninsula of Herøya, at the mouth of Telemarksvassdraget. Herøya features a large industrial park that was founded in 1928. It contains...

, to the mouth of the Porsgrunn

Porsgrunn

is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....

 river (in Norwegian Porsgrunnselva). At the fjord mouth, Breviksstrømmen, it is about 300 m across and is crossed by the Brevik bridge

Brevik Bridge

Brevik Bridge is a bridge over the mouth of the Frierfjord which connects the municipalities of Bamble and Porsgrunn in Telemark county...

 (in Norwegian Breviksbrua). Somewhat further in a new bridge, the Grenland bridge (in Norwegian Grenlandsbrua) also crosses the fjord, carrying (E18

E18

E18 or E-18 may be:* E18 error, a Canon digital camera error code* County Route E18 , a County route in California* DRG Class E 18, a class of German electric locomotives* European route E18* E18, a postcode district in the E postcode area...

) across Norway's highest cable stayed bridge.

Frierfjord has a great deal of commercial ship traffic, including to Rafnes in Bamble

Bamble

Bamble is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Langesund.-Name:...

, Norsk Hydro

Norsk Hydro

Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...

 in Porsgrunn

Porsgrunn

is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....

 and Norske Skog Union

Norske Skog Union

Norske Skog Union was a paper mill located in Skien in Norway. The mill was part of the Norske Skog Corporation and opened in 1873 with the name Union Co. The mill had two paper machines that produced 240,000 tonnes of newsprint and book paper. It was closed down in 2006.-History:In 1872 Ulrik...

 in Skien

Skien

' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....

.

The name Frier comes originally from the old Norse

Old Norse

Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....

and means beautiful.