Cooperation: (from left) Monica Berstad, Managing Director of Cruise Norway AS; Frigg Jørgensen, Executive Director at the Association of the Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO); Einar Vik Arset, Director General at the Norwegian Coastal Administration; Hans Chen Braas, Regional Director for the Nordics and Baltics at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Europe; and Alf Tore Sørheim, Director General of Shipping and Navigation.

Cruise Conference 2026: Working together to strengthen preparedness and accelerate the green transition in a challenging geopolitical landscape

Representatives from the cruise industry and Norwegian authorities met yesterday at the Norwegian Cruise Conference to strengthen cooperation on ensuring a safe and sustainable future for cruise operations along the Norwegian coast.

Published 23 January 2026

ÅLESUND: The conference agenda covered safety, preparedness for major incidents and forthcoming zero-emission requirements. Throughout the day, participants expressed a strong shared determination to find solutions. Once again, the conference was fully booked, confirming its position as Norway’s leading forum for dialogue on these issues.

Opening the conference, Coastal Director Einar Vik Arset highlighted record figures for 2025, with nearly 4,000 cruise calls and 1.6 million unique cruise passengers along the Norwegian coast. He emphasised that rising traffic places higher demands on safety and emergency preparedness, and that close cooperation between authorities and industry is essential.

– "Visitors arriving in Norway by sea are always welcome. “Incidents at sea are fortunately rare, our environment is among the cleanest in the world, and we work continuously to ensure safe and efficient journeys along our coast,” Arset said.

He also encouraged cruise operators to maintain a low threshold for reporting incidents that could pose a safety risk.

The industry stands at a crossroads

Director General of Shipping and Navigation Alf Tore Sørheim stressed that the industry’s overarching goal remains zero serious injuries or fatalities. He highlighted the need for close collaboration on new environmental solutions without compromising safety. Good working and living conditions for seafarers, including the management of fatigue and harassment, were also underscored as crucial to a safe and sustainable cruise industry.

– "The cruise industry stands at a crossroads. Never have expectations regarding safety, environmental responsibility and innovation been higher, and never has cooperation between authorities and industry been more important,” Sørheim said.

Zero emissions in the World Heritage fjords

“We support the Norwegian Parliament’s ambition for a zero-emission-based tourism industry, and we believe that realistic and achievable environmental requirements will help make both the fjords and Norway even more attractive as a destination,” said Rita Berstad, Port Director of Stranda municipality.

The introduction of zero-emission requirements in the World Heritage fjords for passenger vessels under 10,000 gross tonnes from 2026 will entail major technological and operational changes for the industry. From 2032, the regulations will also apply to larger passenger vessels.

Presentations throughout the conference highlighted how shipping companies, ports and authorities are working together to achieve these ambitious – but necessary – goals, aimed at protecting the unique natural environment of the World Heritage fjords.

Profilbilde — Henrikke Roald, Sjøfartsdirektoratet

Received a number of applications

During the transition period, the new regulations present several challenges, not least because the supply of zero-emission vessels will be limited in the early years. At the same time, the transition requires significant investment in charging and port infrastructure and affects traffic patterns and logistics in the fjords. This creates uncertainty for ports, shipping companies and local communities alike.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority has recently received a number of applications for exemptions, which are currently under consideration. Operators are encouraged to begin planning early to ensure compliance with the regulations by 2026 and 2032.

- “We understand that this is demanding for the industry. The regulations are intended to strike a balance between environmental considerations and economic sustainability, while facilitating innovation and resilience in the sector,” said Henrikke Roald, Head of Section for Legislation and Contracts at the Norwegian Maritime Authority.

Safety and emergency preparedness

The importance of robust emergency preparedness was strongly emphasised, with a focus on the shared responsibility of all stakeholders to prevent unwanted incidents. Systematic risk management, effective digital tools and regular exercises were highlighted as key to being as well prepared as possible for a range of potential scenarios. Several international cruise lines participated in panel discussions, sharing their experiences and best practices.

Ian Meachem, Head of Technical Port Operations, Global Port Operations Department, MSC Cruises

A dedicated session also outlined the Norwegian emergency response resources available should an incident occur. Tugboat preparedness, local fire and rescue services, rescue coordination centres, vessel traffic services and pilotage services all form part of the national response capability. Effective coordination between these resources can be critical in an emergency.

Preparedness through practice

Cruise traffic along the Norwegian coast is substantial – and increasing. Practising complex scenarios is essential to maintain a shared understanding of the situation. This was the key message from Norwegian authorities.

With so many key stakeholders present, the opportunity was taken to challenge both speakers and participants: How would you handle a hypothetical scenario involving a fire on board a cruise ship in a Norwegian fjord?

Through a tabletop discussion exercise led by Kjetil Aasebø of the Norwegian Coastal Administration, representatives from cruise lines, agents, ports and Norwegian authorities worked together to explore how such a situation could best be managed.

Representatives from specialist authorities contributed their perspectives, roles and contingency plans. From left: Sindre Egeness, Fire Chief of Ålesund and member of Maritime Rescue Operations with Special Fire Brigade Teams; Eivind Klokkersund, Operations Commander, Sunnmøre Police District; Andreas Ingsøy, SAR Mission Coordinator at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre; Tormod Våga, Vessel Traffic Service Operator - Kvitsøy Vessel Traffic Service; Geir Pettersen, Pilot at the Norwegian Coastal Administration; Trond Langemyr, Vessel Traffic Operator at Vardø Vessel Traffic Service (NOR VTS); led by Kjetil Aasebø of the Norwegian Coastal Administration.

“It was a constructive and valuable discussion, marked by strong engagement and a high level of expertise. We clearly demonstrated just how complex the management of such an incident can be. Clear lines of responsibility and close cooperation between shipping companies and authorities are essential, and that requires regular training,” Aasebø commented.

An important meeting place

The organisers – the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Norwegian Maritime Authority – together with partners such as Cruise Norway and AECO, underlined the value of coming together to find shared solutions to shared challenges.

Kaptein Marcin Banach, Director Nautical and Security Operations, Carnival Corporation

The CSO of Carnival Corporation noted:

– "The Norwegian Cruise Conference continues to be a highly valuable forum, bringing together government authorities at local and national level, the cruise industry, and a broad range of maritime and shore-side stakeholders. We come together in an open and constructive exchange on safety, preparedness, and operational challenges. The quality of dialogue and the willingness to share perspectives across organisations and disciplines is particularly noteworthy and reinforces a strong foundation of mutual trust and understanding."

– "The tabletop exercise further enhanced this by providing a realistic insight into how multiple shore-side agencies would coordinate and deploy resources during a complex cruise-related emergency. From an operator and shipowner perspective, such engagement is essential to ensure effective alignment between shipboard actions and shore-side response, and it clearly benefits both the industry and Norwegian authorities, including the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Norwegian Maritime Authority, in strengthening safe and resilient cruise operations."