The Piloting Service

The NCA Piloting Service is operational 24-hours all year round, with nearly 280 pilots in operative service. State pilotage is mandatory to all vessels more than 500 gross tons and vessels of more than 100 gross tons that carry dangerous and/or polluting cargo. The piloting service is user-financed and dimensioned in a cost-effective manner to ensure user-friendly services for the shipping industry.

State pilots have a professional background as shipmasters or first officers and undergo special training and coninuous education to perfect their skills and ensure that they remain updated in their field of expertise.

Norway is one of the largest oil and gas producers in the world, which is reflected in high maritime activities near the country's petroleum facilities. Helicopter services is used for pilot transport in the Bergen region for large tanker vessels needing pilotage to the major petroleum facilities such as Kårstø in Rogaland and Mongstad and Sture in Hordaland. Mongstad is the largest oil refinery in Norway and one of the major suppliers of Norwegian crude oil exports, with more than 340 million barrels of oil are shipped from this facility to major customers in Europe, North America and Asia each year.