Norway tightens requirements for northern ports serving Russian fishing vessels

Russian fishing vessels are allowed to make port calls to Tromsø, Kirkenes and Båtsfjord, but only for a limited number of services:

Crew change Fuelling Unloading (fish) Provisioning Controls

The reminder about the sanctions regime against Russia was published on Friday by the Foreign Ministry.

“The sanctions against Russia affect Norwegian business in many sectors, be it shipbuilding, oil and gas, fisheries and more. The measures are meant to be broadly applicable,” Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt says.

“The purpose of these is to reduce Russia’s ability to finance warfare in Ukraine,” she underlines.

 

The Russian fish-factory vessel “Ester” is a frequent visiter at port in Kirkenes. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

 

This means that ship repair yards, like KIMEK in Kirkenes and Tromsø Mekaniske, could have to make individual applications for exceptions from the sanctions regime fo each ship up front

Such exceptions could be given for services tasked for “maritime security”, the ministry writes.

“There is a generally high threshold for granting exceptions. For example, you cannot get an exception for planned maintenance.”

Greger Mannsverk, CEO of KIMEK shipyard in Kirkenes, refuses interview request from the Barents Observer.

 

Russian fishing vessels are docked and repaired in the ship hall of KIMEK. Photo: Thomas Nilsen