The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will next week adopt new sailing regulations along the northern Norwegian coast. From next year of, all ships carrying oil, gas and other risk cargo, will have to follow two fixed shipping lanes in the area.
The IMO decision is a victory for Norwegian authorities, which long have expressed worries about the rapidly increasing shipping in the Barents Sea. Over the last few years the number of tankers shipping oil from northern Russian ports to western Europe has skyrocketed raising concerns about spills along the northern coast.
In its management plan for the Barents Sea, presented this spring, the Norwegian government stressed the importance to establish regulate shipping in the area.
According to the new shipping regulations, all ships carrying oil, gas or other risk material will have to follow fixed shipping routes along the coast. The routes are located 30 sea miles off the coast. One two sea mile wide lane will be reserved vessels heading north, while a similar lane will be reserved ships heading south. The distance between the two lanes will be three sea miles.
The new regulations will make it easier to handle maritime emergency situations. It will also be easier for trawlers to operate in the area.