A fishing vessel belonging to a Russian shipowner had already been ordered to leave a Norwegian port in December 2024. Since then, all orders were ignored. Norwegian authorities made a final decision – the vessel was confiscated, and the crew must leave Norwegian territory.
National security threats, violations of applicable regulations, and unpaid debts – the Russian trawler Azurit, moored in the port of Batsfjord at the entrance to the Barents Sea, repeatedly broke the law. The 39-meter vessel, registered in Saint Petersburg and owned by the company Oceanprom, had been moored in the Norwegian port since May 2024. Allegedly, it had suffered a malfunction and docked in Norway to repair the defect. Since then, $200,000 in berthing fees have been charged, which remain unpaid.
As early as December 6, 2024, it received a government order to leave the country within five days. However, after that time, the vessel still did not leave the port. The captain complained about receiving both a detention order and an eviction order, which left the crew bewildered. Authorities tried to tow the ship away, and even attempted intervention, but the vessel refused to set sail.
Ultimately, the Norwegians decided to seize the vessel.
Enforcing the law in place since last year
In July 2024, the Oslo government introduced regulations prohibiting vessels flying the Russian flag from remaining in Norwegian ports for longer than five days.
Minister of Fisheries Marianne Sivertsen Næss stated that after exhausting other options, the state had no choice but to take over the vessel.
Norwegian services seized the ship, and the crew on board was ordered to leave the country.
The country had gradually tightened its policy toward Russian vessels. After the full-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022, access to ports was restricted, and in the summer of 2024, the rules were tightened by introducing time limits on port stays. Some Russian companies are completely banned from entering Norwegian ports and have been denied access to the Norwegian economic zone.
Real concerns about national security
The government explained that the prolonged stay of these vessels in their ports could threaten national security. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide previously accused Russian fishing companies of participating in surveillance and intelligence campaigns targeting critical underwater infrastructure, which could potentially lay the groundwork for sabotage.
Russia, in retaliation, threatened to block Norwegian fishing vessels from accessing the eastern part of the Barents Sea. It also warned that the escalating dispute could undermine the 50-year bilateral fisheries agreement.