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 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.

Amendments in the protection regulations that have been introduced today also encompass traffic restrictions at certain cultural heritage sites along the coast of Svalbard. The restrictions are being introduced in order to protect certain unspoiled and extremely valuable cultural heritage sites against wear and undesirable influence from human traffic.

Further details of the new regulations
The government has introduced the following amendments to regulation 1973-06-01 no. 3780, pertaining to the establishment of bird reserves and larger protected nature reserves on Svalbard, that encompass North- East Svalbard and South-East Svalbard nature reserves, North-West Spitsbergen, Forlandet and South Spitsbergen national parks.

Prohibition of heavy oils
New quality regulations are to be introduced for fuels carried on board vessels within the areas of North-West Spitsbergen, Forlandet and South Spitsbergen national parks. For vessels that sail within these national parks, the use or storage of other fuel than DMA quality (in accordance with ISO 8217 Fuel Standard) will be prohibited, with an exception for the shortest, most secure route via:

• The north-west part of South Spitsbergen national park, for sailings to and from Svea mine.
• The northern part of Forlandet national park and the southern part of North-West Spitsbergen national park for sailings to and from Ny-Ålesund up to 01.01.2015.
• North-West Spitsbergen national park for sailings to Magdalenefjorden up to 01.01. 2015

Prohibition of traffic at cultural heritage sites
A general prohibition of traffic is hereby introduced, within a defined area around automatically protected cultural heritage sites at:

• Ytre Norskøya, Likneset and Ebeltofthamna in North-West Spitsbergen national park.
• Lægerneset in South Spitsbergen national park.
• Haudegen in North-East Svalbard nature reserve.
• Habenichtbukta, Zieglerøya/Delitschøya/Spekkholmen and parts of Halvmåneøya in South-East Svalbard nature reserve.

Map of automatically protected cultural heritage sites indicating traffic restrictions from 1.1.2010.

The Governor of Svalbard, in consultation with the Ministry, has previously regulated or prohibited traffic in entire or parts of protected zones if this has been regarded as necessary in order to protect flora or fauna. The consideration of preserving cultural heritage sites has now been brought into line with that of flora and fauna as a criterion for the evaluation of traffic prohibition regulations.