Norway - Security
Norway Security for Yachts
Overall Crime and Safety
Norway is a very safe country.
There’s a small risk of petty theft, particularly at airports and railway stations in and around Oslo and other larger cities.
For additional information and current travel advisories, see the following websites:
- UK – Foreign Travel Advice for Norway
- USA – Norway International Travel Information
- Canada – Norway Travel Advice
- New Zealand – Safe Travel Norway
- Australia– Smart Traveller Norway
General Maritime Issues
Security and migration issues within the Schengen area along with the ongoing war in Ukraine may intensify checks and inspections on vessels entering Norwegian waters.
From 12 May 2024 until 11 November 2024, Norway introduced temporary border controls at ports with ferry connections to Schengen due to increased threat to critical infrastructure and Russian intelligence operations threatening Norweigan exports of gas or military support to Ukraine.
From 12 November 2024 until 11 May 2025, Norway has temporary border control measures in place at all ports with ferry connections to Schengen and all internal borders (land, air and sea) due to the general threat aimed at the energy sector, threats of sabotage posed by Russian intelligence, and to increase infrastructure protections.
From 12 May 2025 until 11 November 2025, Norway will have temporary border control measures in place at all ports with ferry connections to Schengen due to the general threat on the energy sector and threats of sabotage posed by Russian intelligence and to increase infrastructure protection.
See the EU page for Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control Measures to check the current status of increased border controls.
Specific Areas of Concern
As part of Norway’s ongoing efforts to enhance maritime security and improve situational awareness, foreign vessels 15 meters and over are now subject to stricter reporting regulations. See Clearance for additional details.
If you have information for this section, or feedback on businesses used, please let us know at editor@noonsite.com. We also welcome new information about businesses you have used (see Related Businesses).
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Clearance August 2024:
We tried to set up a SeaSafe account, but didn’t manage because it seems to be set up for professionals only. We arrived from Scotland without prior notice, then called +4702800. We were transferred to a border force officer, who informed us that we should have notified them by e-mail prior to coming to Norway. The e-mail address for arriving in Agder Province (Southern Norway) is: Agder.grensekontroll@politiet.no
No one needs to take a test before or after entering Norway. The info on here is dated.
Thanks for letting us know Steve – really helpful. Yes I see rules changed last week and we’ve updated the biosecurity section accordingly.
The best pilot guide we used was, in fact, an app downloaded to our iPad and phone: https://www.harbourguide.com.
Norway is very capable when it comes to gas refilling. We found that our existing UK Calor bottles could be refilled with Propane by a professional for the same or less than in the UK. We did not have to buy a Norwegian bottle.
Rorvik and Harstad are where we filled our bottles but it seems like you can do it in most major towns. This site is useful: https://www.mylpg.eu/stations/norway/
To be more precise phasing out is a process as I have explained here: http://59nord.pl/en/radio-2/
It will be finished at the and of the current year, so there is still a good chance that this season visitors to Norway may be able to use their FM receivers.
When it comes to weather forecasts I have elaborated on that here: http://59nord.pl/en/weather-forcast-on-nrk-radio/ and here: http://59nord.pl/en/marine-radio-weather-forecast/
I want to highlight that Norwegian radio has shut down their FM senders from 2017 and the only way to access public radio is by having Dab+ in your boat as this is the only transmission remaining.
To access weather, check VHF Ch 16 where they inform which working channel they will broadcast the weather every day at 9:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 21:00 local time.
Being Norwegian, I would like to expand on your statement about all shoreline being private (Restrictions section).
Few countries, if any, give a sailor better access than Norway. The public intention is to keep all shoreline within 100m open to the public. Deviations from this rule are unfortunately many. Some because of existing buildings when the law was passed, some because of too good lawyers. But the general rule is that you can freely use the shoreline.
You can anchor outside the private property. You can take your dinghy ashore anywhere that is not obviously private. You can spend the day at the shore, collect firewood, and pick berries. All this without asking anybody for permission.
Any “private” signs are most often illegal. With exceptions for the densely populated southeastern part of Norway, the vast majority of the shoreline is free to use.