With a focus on sustainability, the environment and safety, the Norwegian Coastal Administration ensures that it becomes even safer for most people to travel at sea.

FROM ROAD TO SEA

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is a national agency, under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, responsible for coastal management, maritime safety and emergency preparedness against acute pollution and oil spill response.

– What we are most concerned about is securing the sea, so that it continues to be a safe and secure transport route. We are also concerned with ensuring safety and facilitating the possibility of more transport taking place at sea. From road to sea is a political goal in itself, says Johan Marius Lie, Director of Emergency Management at the Norwegian Coastal Administration.

Several parts of the Norwegian Coastal Administration are represented in Horten. Here you will find, among other things, the maritime traffic control center, which monitors all maritime traffic in and out of Oslo. The agency also houses a pilot officer for the Oslofjord, who manages and coordinates all pilotage activities in the area. In addition to this, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has a national task related to oil spill preparedness, where they follow up on all incidents related to oil spills or acute chemical spills.

– What we are simply doing is a whole series of active and passive measures to strengthen maritime safety, says Lie.

MONITORING AND PREPAREDNESS

One of the Norwegian Coastal Administration's most important tasks is emergency preparedness.

– Being on alert is not just sitting and waiting for something to happen, says Lie.
– Preparedness also means further developing our expertise, both our own and that of our partners, such as the fire department. A lot of work goes into training, preparing and creating routines so that this works optimally. The Norwegian Coastal Administration also has an active role when it comes to actual incidents, both on land and at sea here in Norway.

– Whether it is a vessel that runs aground and leaks oil, or it is simply a traffic accident with a chemical or oil spill, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has an authority role when it comes to ensuring that the actors do what they can to limit the harmful effects, says Lie.

– This responsibility also applies inland, so in that sense we also have a total national responsibility.

GOOD PARTNERS

Today, there are almost 100 employees at the Norwegian Coastal Administration's offices in Horten, and Lie is very grateful that the agency is still located in the small Vestfold town.

“We are very happy to be here,” says Lie.
– Here we are part of a larger emergency response region. In Horten we have the rescue company as one of our closest neighbors, we also have the Armed Forces and FFI, which are actors with whom we collaborate closely. The university is a supplier of expertise. In addition, we have the other companies, especially Kongsberg Maritime, which has supplied equipment to our maritime traffic centers. The latter is working with autonomous ships, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration has a stake in those projects, as we facilitate safe use of the sea.

THE TRAFFIC SCENE WILL CHANGE

The Norwegian Coastal Administration believes that exciting developments will occur in the maritime industry in the future, and Emergency Management Director Lie is optimistic about the future.

– We believe autonomous ships will be big, explains Lie.
– The Oslo Fjord looks set to be the area where these autonomous ships will arrive earliest. This will change much of the traffic picture we see today, and it will also challenge us when it comes to the services we deliver.

Lie believes the new technology will only increase the need for their services related to maritime safety and maritime surveillance:

– Here in Horten there will also be exciting projects from FFI and Kongsberg Maritime. The Norwegian Coastal Administration is excited to contribute so that we can continue to maintain the high level of maritime safety that we have here in Norway.