Ship’s officer fined after flying drone over Norwegian port

A ship’s officer has been fined and threatened with deportation from Norway after flying a drone over a commercial port where the vessel was berthed, insurance provider Gard said.

The arrest of the European national was the latest in a number of detentions in Norway for drone-related activities during the period of heightened tensions with Russia.

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The officer and the vessel were not identified but he was said to be flying a personal drone. It was not clear if it was being flown for work-related purposes.

The insurer said several Russians had previously been detained in Norway for flying drones near sensitive sites including oil platforms and airports.

British-Russian businessman Andrey Yakunin was detained for 51 days before he was acquitted after he flew a drone during a sailing trip in Svalbard in 2022. Russians are barred from flying drones in Norway, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK in a report of the case.

Gard said: “Norwegian and other national authorities take these matters very seriously in the current geopolitical climate and a number of foreign nationals have already been deported for flying drones in various locations around Norway.”

In 2016, another vessel covered by Gard was detained after a drone was launched to photograph the ship travelling through the Suez Canal.

Shortly after the launch, the master of the unidentified vessel was ordered to drop anchor by the authorities. The drone and its memory card were confiscated and the vessel was detained during further inquiries.

In 2022, Gard reported an increase in seafarers being detained for carrying items including drones in their luggage while disembarking ships in Egypt.

Drones are increasingly used in the maritime sector for hull and cargo hold inspections, maritime search and rescue, and drone-to-ship deliveries among other activities.

But many countries have strict regulations on their use. In Norway, a drone has to be registered and the user has to pass an online course.

There are further restrictions on how high a drone is allowed to fly and its distance from the operator, and there are bans for sensitive sites.

Gard said: “Our recent case experience demonstrates that to launch a drone from a vessel, for example, to take photographs, may have serious consequences for the crew, the vessel and the shipowner.”

“Regulations concerning the use of drones differ from one country to another and failure to comply with any given legislation may lead to a criminal prosecution.”