CRUICE NORTH 2014
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will have a very short flight time for any
rescue operations throughout the entire
Isfjorden area.
In order to be better equipped to develop
the cruise destination Longyearbyen, the
industry is now developing a cruise network
that will primarily engage in product devel-
opment and marketing. “We can’t see why
Spitsbergen will become less attractive.
Isfjorden has many of the same qualities as
other attractions further up along the West
Coast. Consequently, we want to prepare for
the large cruise ships also in the future, but
with slightly different framework conditions
than before,” says an always optimistic
tourismmanager of one of the world’s
outposts, Ronny Brunvoll.
The Port of Longyearbyen has now
drawn up a new strategic port plan and
will invest Euro 25 million in new infra-
structure. Port Director Kjetil Bråten is
optimistic on behalf of the cruise traffic
to Longyearbyen: “We are increasing
the capacity and making the necessary
preparations for overnight calls to
Longyearbyen. The fenders at the port
are being improved so the ships will be
more stable when they are docked. In
addition, a new port terminal is being
built, which will offer better facilities for
the public. As part of the environmental
measures, all “dirty goods” will now be
moved to the quays closer to the airport,
while passengers and containers will use
the so-called “town quay” near the town
centre. Advance bookings for overseas
cruises to Longyearbyen in 2015 are
ahead of the normal level, so we don’t see
any trend that the ban on heavy fuel oil will
adversely affect the tourism industry in
Longyearbyen,” says Bråten.
So perhaps the ban of heavy fuel oils is
not so bad after all?
Heavy Fuel Oil Prohibition:
In 2009 the Norwegian government
introduced new regulations that prohibits
the use of heavy fuel oils on vessels sailing
within the three largest national parks on
Svalbard. A general traffic prohibition has
also been introduced, at eight protected
cultural heritage sites.
The objective of these restrictions is to
avoid major pollution from heavy bunker oil
in the event of an accident at sea and to
limit the environmental damage caused if
it should occur. In 2007, a corresponding
prohibition of heavy fuel oils was introduced
in protected areas on the eastern side of
Svalbard.
This new regulation will mean that heavy
bunker oil will be prohibited within most of
Svalbard’s territorial waters.
Protected areas where vessels are not allowed to bring heavy fuel oil (red lines) or
carry more than 200 passengers (green shaded areas). For the cruise industry,
this means that Magdalenafjorden and Ny-Ålesund will not be available for the
largest ships powered by heavy fuel oil. The tourism industry in Longyearbyen
will now exploit the opportunities available in Isfjorden, where Barentsburg,
Pyramiden, Billefjorden and Tempelfjorden offer good shorex opportunities and
slow cruising (blue line).
eliv as
Photo: Linda Drake
Areas in Svalbard where the ban on heavy fuel oils applies
Longyearbyen
Barentsburg
Pyramiden
Ny-Ålesund
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