A Russian fishing vessel that has been at the quayside in the Norwegian port of Båtsfjord since May 2024 has now been seized by the Norwegian state with the Coastal Administration tasked with disposing of it.
‘This vessel must be removed from Båtsfjord harbour. After considering and trying various solutions, it became absolutely necessary to make a decision on the state taking over the vessel,’ said Minister of Fisheries and the Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss.
‘The Norwegian Coastal Administration can therefore implement all necessary measures to remove it.’
The 39-metre Azurit docked in Båtsfjord in May last year and when it was still there in December, the Norwegian authorities gave its owners a deadline for the vessel to leave the port by 13th December – and it has been there ever since.
This decision was made due to the vessel’s prolonged presence in Båtsfjord harbour being considered to pose a risk to national security interests, while Azurit’s owner failed to comply with the instruction to remove it from Båtsfjord harbour.
The Ministry has considered and tried various options to remove the vessel, without any success.
This latest decision is effective immediately and hands the Norwegian state powers to deal with the vessel. The Port of Båtsfjord and other businesses have outstanding claims against Azurit and its owners, and the government will take this into account in handling this case.
