Introduction
On 26 February 2016 the Ministry on Trade, Industry and Fisheries adopted amendments to the Regulations of 30 June 1987 No. 579 on special trade areas for vessels and mobile offshore units engaged in the petroleum activity and registered in the Norwegian International Ship Register, hereafter referred to as the Regulations on trade areas for petroleum activities.
The amendments entered into force on 1 March 2016.
Purpose
The purpose of this Circular is to provide guidance on the interpretation of the term "construction vessel".
Interpretation of the term "construction vessel"
Section 2 of the Regulations on trade areas for petroleum activities reads:
Section 2. Application.
These Regulations apply to vessels and mobile offshore units engaged in the petroleum activity as referred to in section 1. The Regulations do not apply to seismic vessels and construction vessels. Construction vessel means any vessel engaged in construction activities, subsea operations, pipe-laying or maintenance of units.
The amendment signifies that construction vessels, like seismic vessels, are not covered by the trade area restriction set out in these Regulations.
The same applies to other ships and multipurpose ships when they carry out the mentioned construction activities.