Medals processed by us
The NMA has been delegated the authority to make recommendations from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries with regard to the medal for noble deeds and the medal/plaque for rescue deeds at sea. Proposals for recipients can be submitted on a separate form.
Medals for noble deeds
The medal was instituted by royal decree of 19 August 1885. According to the statutes, the medal is awarded as a reward for "demonstrated honorable conduct in saving human life or other similar deeds that have endangered the life of the rescuer".
The medal comes in two versions, gold and silver. The gold medal is ranked number seven on the list of Norwegian decorations, while the silver medal is ranked number 14.
The medal hangs very high, and the most important condition for the award is that the rescuer has put his own life at risk during the rescue. Previous allocations have been related to the Asta accident, the events at Utøya and the government quarter, 22 July 2011, actions during the mosque attack in Bærum in 2019 and for actions during the mass shooting in Oslo in 2022.
Degree of danger:
The most important condition for the award of the medal is that the rescuer has risked his or her own life in the rescue. There are strict requirements for the degree of danger to which the rescuer has exposed himself. There is no requirement that the rescue succeeds – even attempts at rescue may justify the award.
The medal can also be awarded post-mortem (to people who have died).
Time limit: Five years
A proposal for allocation must be submitted to the NMA less than five years after the rescue operation took place.
Nationality:
In principle, the person who has been rescued, or attempted to be rescued, must be a Norwegian citizen or resident in Norway, for so long that he can be considered Norwegian.
The reason for this is that rescuing foreign persons should instead be rewarded in the person's home country.
The nationality of the rescuer is generally of no significance, except in cases where the person rescued is not Norwegian.
The medal/plaque for rescue deeds at sea
Statutes for the medal/plaque for rescue deeds at sea were laid down by Royal Decree of 25 August 1978.
The award may be made as a reward for demonstrated courage, resourcefulness and skill in saving human lives at sea or other similar deeds in connection with accidents at sea, shipwrecks, casualties, falls overboard and the like.
The medal can be awarded to individuals, and the plaque to public and private entities. The award is ranked no. 15 by the Norwegian decorations.
There is no requirement that the rescuer must have endangered his or her own life during the rescue, but on the other hand, it is specified in the terms and conditions that the requirements for allocation must not be too lenient.
What is meant by rescue at sea?
Rescue deeds at sea mean courage, resourcefulness and skill in saving human lives at sea or other similar deeds in connection with accidents at sea, shipwrecks, casualties, falls overboard and the like. Distortion and other behaviour save lives.
It is not required that the rescuer has put his or her own life at risk during the rescue, but the guidelines specify that the requirements should not be too lenient either.
The plaque can also be awarded to a unit, for example, when the entire crew of a vessel is involved in an operation in addition to those who have particularly distinguished themselves. The award can thus be awarded even if the rescued person dies immediately after the rescue.
When it comes to attempts at rescue, such as a search operation that does not yield results, it must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The medal is not awarded post-mortem (to people who have died).
Time limit: Three years
A proposal for allocation must be submitted to the NMA less than three years after the rescue operation took place.
Nationality:
In the first instance, the award shall be awarded in cases where the rescued person is a Norwegian citizen or must be considered Norwegian due to his or her period of residence or his connection to Norwegian property (belonging to the crew or being a passenger on a Norwegian vessel).
The nationality of the rescuer is irrelevant in these cases.
If the rescued person is not Norwegian or is considered Norwegian due to their period of residence or affiliation, the rescuer should be Norwegian or have lived in Norway for so long that he can be considered Norwegian.
Similarly, a unit that receives the plaque should be Norwegian.
- Anyone can propose an award (private or public institutions or private individuals). It is particularly important that the rescuer's efforts are described as well as possible.
- The NMA will consider the proposals for allocation received in the light of the conditions above, and submit any recommendation to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
- The medal for noble deeds is awarded by the King in Council.
- If you have any questions, you can contact the Norwegian Maritime Authority
- For information about other Norwegian awards: http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_over_norske_dekorasjoner