Preparedness against acute pollution

The objective of a state preparedness against acute pollution is to preserve life, the environment and trade interests. The Norwegian Coastal Administration is the national authority on state preparedness against acute pollution.

The headquarters of the NCA's Department for Emergency Response is based at the Norwegian Centre for Marine Environment and Safety in Horten. The department has a 24-hour duty service for recording, assisting and monitoring polluters' handling of acute pollution which falls within the scope of the Pollution Control Act.

In the case of major instances of acute pollution not covered by private or municipal preparedness, the Department for Emergency Response is the Government's representative to take action on behalf of the polluter. Most often, major instances of acute pollution are caused by oil spill from ships and shipwrecks or unknown sources.

At their disposal, the Department for Emergency Response has a surveillance aircraft, several depots containing anti-oil spill equipment as well as the department's own vessels, hired vessels and naval ship resources.