Simplified Requirements for Position Reporting at Svalbard

As of February 1st, changes were made to the requirements for position reporting at Svalbard. Fewer vessels are now obligated to manually report their position when navigating in these waters.

There are now exemptions from reporting for all vessels tracked with LRIT, AIS Class A, VMS, or functioning AIS Class B. Previously, the exemption for vessels with AIS Class B applied only when navigating in Isfjorden.

Those now required to report according to the regulations are vessels carrying passengers or those over 24 meters in length that do not have any form of automatic tracking as mentioned above.

For more information on the position reporting requirements at Svalbard, contact Vardø Vessel Traffic Service / NOR VTS.

Here is the regulation: link