“Farmar’s emergency preparedness cannot be built on voluntary effort.”

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

“We cannot have tugboat preparedness along the southern coast of Norway based on voluntary effort and goodwill,” says Nilsen.

The Progress Party representative was clear in his message after visiting Farmar in Farsund. Together with Mayor Ingrid Williamsen and Toni Helvig, group leader of Farsund Frp, he saw the vessels, crews and emergency preparedness that today form a central part of the safety provision along one of Norway’s most weather-exposed stretches of coastline.

IN LUNDEVÅGEN, Farsund, lie the tugboats that could prove decisive if a vessel loses propulsion off Lista, drifts towards land or needs rapid assistance in the Skagerrak.

But according to Farmar, there is currently no state tugboat preparedness along the southern coast of Norway that covers the need close to shore.

“Farmar is an important company for Farsund and for the entire southern coast. They are making an enormously important contribution to keeping preparedness intact. But Farmar’s preparedness cannot be built on voluntary effort,” says Marius Arion Nilsen.

THE VISIT TO Farmar was the result of a Teams meeting in January. At that meeting, the Member of the Storting was briefed on the situation along the southern coast and the challenges Farmar faces when private tugboats in practice become part of society’s emergency preparedness, without any fixed preparedness agreement attached.

“We need a state presence and a state hand on the wheel. Enormous numbers of older and vulnerable vessels pass our coast. Farmar does an invaluable job, but it cannot be the case that the state simply expects this capacity to be there,” says Nilsen, who was interviewed by both the local newspaper Lister and NRK Sørlandet at Farmar’s base in Lundevågen.

JOHN W. NILSEN, Managing Director of Farmar, points out that the state’s tugboat preparedness is currently handled through the Norwegian Coastal Administration, which in turn has an agreement with the Norwegian Coast Guard.

This preparedness is primarily aimed at larger vessels far offshore, outside the traffic separation systems. Along the southern coast, the picture is different.

“There is no state tugboat preparedness along the southern coast of Norway today. The state vessels are placed as strategically as possible, but there is no guarantee that capacity will be available when something happens,” says John W. Nilsen.

UNTIL 2021 a private tugboat was linked to the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s preparedness along the southern coast through a so-called split contract. It could operate commercially between Egersund and Risør, but had to be available to the Norwegian Coastal Administration within one hour.

The agreement provided basic compensation to cover crew costs, in addition to payment for assignments.

Farmar believes a similar model should be reconsidered.

“This is preparedness we provide free of charge today. We take responsibility, but there must also be framework conditions that make it possible to maintain this capacity over time,” says John W. Nilsen.

ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST, concern has increased in line with vessel traffic through the Skagerrak. Between 10 and 15 vessels linked to the so-called shadow fleet pass Lista every day. In addition, there is ordinary tanker, cargo and fishing traffic.

If a vessel gets into difficulty, minutes and available towing power can be the difference between control and grounding.

Marius Arion Nilsen believes this is precisely what makes Farmar’s role so important.

“There are not many companies like Farmar in Norway. When they have vessels, expertise and crews that can respond, that is a resource society must take care of. The state must also provide schemes that make it possible to keep this preparedness available,” he says.

He says he will follow up the questions he has previously put to the government about tugboat preparedness along the southern coast.

THE PROGRESS Party wants a solution in place before any new state vessels eventually enter service.

“In practice, the authorities are now gambling that things will go well until new naval vessels arrive. That could take several years. The question is whether Farmar’s boats should simply lie there free of charge and wait. I do not think that is right,” says Toni Helvig.

Mayor Ingrid Williamsen believes the issue is about emergency preparedness, business and nature conservation.

“When John Willy and Farmar place their fleet at the state’s disposal, they must be paid for it. In the end, a lack of preparedness could affect our vulnerable natural environment. It is important that this is addressed as part of our public emergency preparedness,” says Williamsen.

THE HEAD OF Farmar believes the state has several options if it wants to ensure that private tugboats can continue to be part of the preparedness system. This could be done through contracts, compensation for availability or better framework conditions for vessels that are actually ready to assist.

“There are many ways to reward us. Giving us framework conditions on a par with offshore shipping companies and cargo vessels is the simplest way to do it. Ships that are available for preparedness could qualify for the scheme in return for reporting and making capacity available,” says John W. Nilsen.