“We have recently seen several serious attacks on civilian ships. The militia responsible for the attacks claims that they only target ships with ties to the conflict in Israel. However, due to the uncertainty surrounding the information used to target ships, the decision has been made to elevate the security level. While Norwegian ships are not prohibited from navigating through the area, the elevated security level sends a clear message that the situation is ambiguous and has worsened”, says Knut Arild Hareide, Director General of Shipping and Navigation, adding: “Traffic in the area should be avoided.”
Security level 3 implies that Norwegian-registered ships are not permitted to call at ports in the geographical area covered by security level 3 Although sailing through the area is still possible if deemed justifiable by the shipping company, the Norwegian Maritime Authority recommends avoiding such traffic until the situation changes.
"We are aware of various international and Norwegian initiatives aimed at enhancing security. The NMA will continually evaluate. If changes result in increased security, we are prepared to lower the security level accordingly,” says Hareide.