The cooperation in the field of protection against oil pollution between Russian and Norway has been going on for more than 10 years. This cooperation is built on the basis of an agreement on maritime safety and environmental protection against oil pollution from 1994 defined by the Memorandum of Understanding from 2006 (Agreement between The Kingdom of Norway and The Russian Federation concerning Cooperation on the Combatment of Oil Pollution in the Barents Sea (1994)".
The Joint Norwegian-Russian Contingency Plan for the Combatment of Oil Pollution in the Barents Sea was signed in Moscow on 28th of April, 1994). The cooperation has had the character of practical joint activities, in which the oil pollution protection authorities from the two countries have obtained experience and have had joint exercises both in Norway an in Russia. Earlier the joint training was organised every other year; in the last few years the exercises are held at least once a year.
The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs with The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT), the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation represented by its oil pollution protection unit, Murmansk basin Emergency-and-Salvage Department, are the main responsible institutes in this cooperation.
Joint exercises include both Search and Rescue and fighting oil spills. From 2008, this has been split in two different exercises after a wish from the Russian side. The Search and Rescue exercise took place in 2008. In 2009, the Joint exercise was a part of the exercise Barents rescue 2009.
See also chapter Issues of importance for ecosystem based management - Pollution - International agreements concerning pollution - Bilateral cooporation Norway-Russia.
