The Norwegian Coastal Administration
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Pilot Services

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is responsible for the state pilotage service. The aim of the pilotage service is to safeguard traffic at sea and protect the environment by ensuring that vessels operating in Norwegian waters have navigators with adequate qualifications for safe navigation.

Pilot Services

News

  • Compulsory pilotage

    Compulsory Pilotage is regulated in the Compulsory Pilotage Regulations. These regulations state what vessels are subject to compulsory pilotage and the waters where this requirement applies.

  • How to book a pilot

    Pilot bookings are made electronically in the SafeSeaNet Norway messaging service.

  • Pilot Exemption Certificate

    Vessels over a certain size that operate within the sea boundary are subject to compulsory pilotage, depending on whether the vessel is transporting hazardous cargo or not. Vessels that operate with a pilot exemption certificate can be exempted from compulsory pilotage.

  • Pilotage Fee

    The pilotage fees consist of the pilotage readiness fee, pilotage service fee and pilot exemption certificate fee.

  • Vessel Traffic Service (VTS)

    The Norwegian Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) offers three types of services based on national regulations and international recommendations:

  • LRIT Reporting

    It is mandatory to report information about new vessels and name changes for vessels to the Norwegian Coastal Administration. This information must be submitted by using the Form for Reporting LRIT Information.

  • Report irregularities and obstructions

    Many of the permanent navigational aids along the coast are automated and unmanned. It is therefore important that mariners notify the Norwegian Coastal Administration of any irregularities in the navigational installations.

Facts

  • Pilots board the vessels at the designated embarkation marks along the coast by means of a pilot boat or helicopter.
  • On board the vessels the pilot acts as an advisor and provides the crew with the necessary knowledge of the fairways to and from Norwegian ports.
  • The pilotage service is available 24 hours a day, all year round.
  • The pilotage service is financed by the fees paid by the shipping trade that utilises the service.
  • The pilotage service also includes the dispatch of pilots, transport services and the pilot exemption certificate scheme.
  • Every year the pilotage service performs around 45,000 assignments nationwide.
  • Pilot operations are carried out by the regional sea traffic offices under the management of pilot masters.
  • Nationwide the Norwegian Coastal Administration has just under 290 active pilots, stationed at 18 pilot stations.

SafeSeaNet Ship reporting

Related documents

Pilot services

The Norwegian Coastal Administration safeguards the safety of vessels by providing fairway knowledge to mariners entering and leaving Norwegian ports.

© Norwegian Coastal Administration - Norwegian Coastal Administration Head Office, P.O. Box 1502, N-6025 Ålesund - Switchboard: 07847 (from abroad: +47 33 03 48 08), Fax: +47 23 10 08, Email: