Arklow-Wind

The chief of police on Svalbard has issued a fine of one million Norwegian crowns to the Irish shipping company which is behind the 'Arklow Wind' and called at Longyearbyen on June 6, 2024, to load a cargo of coal, carrying heavy bunker oil in the tanks. Since 2022, it has been prohibited to call at Svalbard with heavy bunker oil on board, due to the environmentally sensitive and difficult-to-access nature of the islands, in the event of a spill. It is the first time that the ban, which appears in section 82a of the Svalbard Environment Act, has been applied. In addition to the fine to the shipping company, the captain was fined 300,000 NOK. The Norwegian authorities had received a tip that the 'Arklow Wind' had heavy bulk oil in some of the ship's tanks, and therefore made an inspection on board the ship upon its arrival in Longyearbyen. Both the shipping company and the captain have refused to accept the fines, and the case is therefore now in court. The case is scheduled for the start of October at the Nord-Troms District Court in Tromsø.