Norway proposes phasing out pilot certificates for Russian navigators

The Norwegian Government has proposed a plan to phase out pilot certificates for Russian navigators, citing national security concerns. The proposal is now under consultation, with a deadline for input on August 25, 2025.

The certificates allow qualified navigators to pilot larger ships in Norwegian waters without a pilot on board. The proposed change means that no new pilot certificates would be issued to Russian navigators, and existing certificates would not be renewed when they expire.

As an interim measure, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has already suspended processing all such applications until new rules come into force.

Minister of Fisheries and the Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, stated that the government is proposing the restrictions on the pilot certificate scheme to, "limit the possibility of intelligence activity from civilian vessels".

The government noted the proposal is based on open threat assessments for 2025 from Norway's police security service (PST) and its intelligence service, in addition to other security-graded assessments.