By
Cherie Rowlands |
Update: The strike involving pilots in Oslo Fjord and pilot boat skippers across Norway, was called off on 2 June following wage negotiation agreement.
The pilots’ strike that has seen a number of cruise ships unable to dock at Norway's Oslo Fjord after pay talks broke down between public sector workers and the Oslo municipality on 23 May, is to impact on other Norwegian ports as the dispute extends nationwide.
Cruise vessels requiring compulsory pilots will not be permitted to berth at most of Norway's ports as the number of striking boat pilots increases from 42 to 103, on 30 May.
A written statement from the Norwegian Coastal Administration said: “At this stage, it is the drivers of the pilot boats that have been brought out on strike. The consequence of this is that the Norwegian Coastal Administration cannot transfer pilots to and from vessels. Those affected by the strike are therefore those vessels that are subject to compulsory pilotage. Most of the Norwegian Coastal Administration's pilot boat stations will be closed with effect from 07.00 on Wednesday.”
Royal Caribbean is preparing contingency plans for two of its ships, Vision of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas, in the event they will be unable to call at their planned stop in Flam, Norway. Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said: “Both ships are expected to depart their ports of call today as scheduled. However, we are currently preparing contingency plans in the event the strike continues and either ship is unable to make their next scheduled port of calls in Norway.”
Vision is due to dock at Geiranger, Norway, on 31 May before spending 1 June at sea and ending her journey in Oslo on 2 June. Brilliance is scheduled to call at Bergen on 31 May and spending a day at sea on 1 June, before concluding her sailing in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 2 June.
During the past week, ships affected by the pay dispute include Vision of the Seas which was diverted from its original destination port of Olso to Gothernburg, Sweden, with passengers transported to and from Oslo by coach. Other vessels due to be docking in Oslo over the same period include Emerald Princess which was turned away on 25 May and headed to her next port in Aarhus, Denmark, Star Clippers’ Star Flyer which cancelled her call on 26 May and Holland America’s Rotterdam which docked at Norway’s Sandefjord port on 28 May, before passengers were taken to Oslo by bus.