Color Line to pay taxes for aborted cruise

Norway’s biggest passenger/car ferry operator, Color Line, has been told by the Norwegian Customs and Excise to pay taxes on all tax free sales onboard the passenger/car ferry Prinsesse Ragnhild because the New Year cruise was aborted. The vessel left Bergen and Stavanger bound for Hirtshals on New Years Eve with around 1,000 passengers onboard. Bad weather prevented the ship ever reaching Denmark, Instead the vessel turn around a cruised in sheltered waters in the Åmøy Fjord. The tax free shop was, however, kept open, as were bars and restaurants, all selling tax free despite the fact the the vessel was in Norwegian waters. Formally the passenger should have paid the taxes on the goods the bought onboard. In the event they did not, and the authorities now seek to recourse in Color Line.