For several years harbour authorities all over northern Norway have had problems dealing with Russian trawlers arrested for irregularities, and then been left abandoned in the harbour. The ship owners are often either bankrupt or refuse to take responsibility for the ship. Now the authorities have found a solution which will make it possible to sell or scrap the old ships.
Lawyers have concluded that it is the harbour authorities which control and administer the abandoned ships. If the ship represents any danger for the harbour security, the authorities can have it removed on the ship owners charge or sell it, says Harbour Manager in the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes, Oddgeir Danielsen to local newspaper Finnmarken.
The Russian trawler Berkley will be removed from the local harbour this week and then sent to a Russian ship breaker for destruction. Sør-Varanger Municipality will try to find buyers for other ships in the same situation as Berkley.
