The number of Russian captains on board Norwegian-controlled ships is starting to decline, after Norway’s government decided they will no longer receive dispensation. Their numbers had kept rising even after Russia invaded Ukraine, and peaked at 268 last year.

The ban on hiring Russian captains took effect in November and new numbers from the state maritime directorate show their numbers were already falling, to 204 at the end of September. The state seafarers’ union thinks that’s still too many, fearing Norway will lose control of them if war breaks out with Russia.

The Norwegian merchant fleet can be more important for both Norway and NATO than its naval vessels, Professor Sigmund Simonsen of the college Høgskulen på Vestlandet told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK): “We have a relatively small naval fleet, but we have a huge merchant fleet.” The vessels can also be of great importance for the Russians.

“War isn’t so unthinkable longer, and things can escalate quickly” Simonsen told NRK. “That makes this (Russian captains on Norwegian ships) a security risk.” He criticized Norwegian shipowners “for not thinking more about security” when they need captains and crew and will avoid Norwegians’ higher wage demands.

Some shipowners, however, have noted that even mixed Russian and Ukrainian crews have worked together on board Norwegian vessels without conflicts and they believe their captains will be loyal to their employers. There were 1,609 Russian crew members working on Norwegian ships last year, but that number has also fallen, to 1,510 in September this year.

“Security will always be the most important for Norwegian shipowers,” claimed the head of the Norwegian Shipowners Association and former government minister Knut Arild Hareide. “Captains and crew are hired based on their competence and experience.”

NewsinEnglish.no staff