At the outset, the owners and operators of Norwegian ports are obliged to permit entry to vessels as far as the port’s capacity allows, pursuant to section 27 of the Harbour and Fairways Act. This duty is not intended to limit the owner’s or operator’s opportunity to decide for themselves the scope of the port’s activity.

The intention of the provision is to ensure that maritime transport is given access to the port infrastructure that the port owner in fact has made available to general traffic, or else the type of traffic that the port has decided to admit to the port section in question.

Pursuant to section 27, the ports can deny entry to vessels if their admittance endangers the environment or security. Ports are allowed to deny entry to a vessel because of its risk to the environment if there is a current and probable threat to the environment. The term “security” refers here to the physical security of the port itself.

A vessel can be denied entry if such entry threatens to damage the port infrastructure or the people who are in the port. National security assessments are not encompassed by the term “security” in section 27, cf. the statement by the Ministry of Transport. Such assessments are made by the Ministry of Defence and not by the individual port.

Naturally, the ports’ obligation to allow vessels to enter is suspended in regard to vessels that are sanctioned.

The current sanctions against Russia will not affect pilotage or the pilot exemption certificate (PEC) scheme. As before, vessels subject to compulsory pilotage may use Russian and other foreign navigators with a valid pilot exemption certificate to meet the compulsory pilotage requirements. Russian vessels allowed to call on a Norwegian port may also engage a pilot as per usual.

Compulsory pilotage is a measure that aims to prevent navigational accidents along the coast. Through this system, the Norwegian Coastal Administration requires that vessels either sail with a pilot or use a pilot exemption certificate. The pilot exemption certificate (Norw. farledsbevis) is issued to navigators who can document a sufficient number of journeys in sheltered waters along the Norwegian coast and who have passed a practical test on board the vessel, either with a pilot as the examiner or with an assessor. Please note, however, that it is only vessels longer than 70 metres (50 m for passenger vessels/vessels with hazardous cargo) that need to use a pilot or pilot exemption certificate. Vessels below 70 m use neither a pilot nor a pilot exemption certificate when sailing.

PST continuously assesses the threat landscape and closely monitors the situation. It is worth noting that the national threat assessment (available only in Norwegian) identifies Russia as a known threat actor in Norway, indicating that the general threat of, among other things, cyberattacks remains. Increased vigilance is encouraged.

For questions or to report, please contact PST.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration has established a solution that sends an alert to the arrival port if a vessel registered in the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) or with a Russian flag, or which had a Russian flag before February 24, reports arrival at a Norwegian port.

The alert is sent by email to the port and the port's PFSO. The alert is automatically sent from SafeSeaNet and should be considered as an informational message. There may be errors in the data. Therefore, the port must independently determine whether the vessel is subject to the sanctions or not.

Questions regarding vessels subject to sanctions that are en route to Norway should be directed to Vardø Vessel Traffic Service Center at
phone number + 47 78989898 or by
email: nor.vts@kystverket.no.

They can provide information about the vessel and potentially assist with forwarding any inquiries.

• The Norwegian government’s web page with information about the sanctions (in Norwegian)
• EU Commission website on sanctions
  
  
• EU FAQ on the port ban:
  Frequently Asked Questions on the Prohibition to Access EU Ports Concerning Sanctions Adopted Following Russia’s Military Aggression against Ukraine and Belarus’ Involvement in It (europa.eu)
  
  

• The Directorate for Export Control and Sanctions (DEKSA) is the national authority on this matter in Norway. DEKSA's guidelines on the sanctions: 

  • Guide on sanctions against Russia
    
    
  • Guide on maritime sanctions (in Norwegian only)