[ad_1]
Several mayors are shocked after all of Boreal’s ferries and speedboats are ordered to dock. See which sections are affected.
DENIAL OF SAILING: All ferries and speedboats of the Boreal shipping company must dock. Here is a picture of a ferry that runs between Hasvik and Øksfjord.
Gisle oddstad
– It’s crazy, says Hasvik Municipality Mayor Eva Husby to VG.
The Norwegian Maritime Directorate announced early Wednesday all Boreal shuttles to stop after what they called ‘serious deviations’». See the discrepancies at the end of the article.
The municipality is now in emergency preparedness due to the situation. In fact, they are completely dependent on ferries and speedboats.
– No one is informed in advance either. Everything we know comes from the media, says the mayor.
Ullensvang Mayor Roald Aga Haug says the shutdown is shocking and unacceptable.
– Here, those responsible must clean immediately, he says.
Stian Giil Bjørsvik, Mayor of Kvitsøy, says the municipality is already working to find alternative solutions for tomorrow.
– This is not the first time that we have to be creative to get things going, due to the bad weather on the island, he says.
He adds that he is glad that the discrepancies that have been found have been discovered.
– It shows that we have a system that works, he says.
VG has been in contact with mayors of the municipalities of Bodø, Halsvik, Ullensvang, Kvitsøy, Giske, Loppa and Vefsn, as well as with mayors of the counties of Nordland, Rogaland and Vestland. Everyone is worried about the loss of transportation.
See all the sections that are affected in the data box below.
CRAZY: Hasvik Township Mayor Eva Husby thinks it’s crazy for ferries and speedboats to stop.
Gisle oddstad
– A big surprise
Kari Anne Bøkestad Andreassen, Mayor of Nordland County, takes the matter very seriously. She says the news was a big surprise. The municipality has now established crisis staff.
-It is very serious for the company, but also for all those affected, he says.
She says there are many people who rely on ferries and speedboats to get to work or hospital, among other things.
Rogaland County Mayor Marianne Chesak says she expects a justification for the decision soon.
Boreal speedboats are located at the Ålesund pier. Serious security flaws at the Boreal shipping company mean that all of the company’s ferries and speedboats are at the dock. People all over the coast are affected.
Svein Ove Ekornesvåg
– Kvitsøy loses all connections with the mainland now, except for a ship that circulates infrequently, so it is very serious, he says.
Ida Pinnerød, Mayor of Bodø, says the most important thing is that “life and health be taken care of in this situation.”
– We must have confidence that the maritime authorities have carried out comprehensive assessments, and I assume that they will be there 24 hours a day to resolve both the acute situation, he says.
– Big inconvenience tomorrow morning.
Giske Township is among the places most affected when Boreal docks and transshipments to the pier. Harry Valderhaug (KrF), mayor of Giske municipality, expects the situation to be short-lived.
– Already tomorrow morning, this will be a great disadvantage for business and air travelers, Valderhaug tells VG.
Valderhaug describes the speedboat stop as a “great distraction” for those who are going home for Christmas and those who have to use airplanes.
Read also: Ferry passengers: – It’s dramatic
The mayor of the municipality of Loppa, Stein Thomassen, says that it is a serious situation because both the transport of goods as well as mail and passengers stop.
– We don’t have any alternative transportation, but we are working to fix it, he says.
Vestland County is also working hard to organize alternative transportation for the population.
– I hope this is solved as soon as possible. It paralyzes all of society, says Mayor Jon Askeland.
I don’t know what the discrepancies are
Dag Inge Aarhus, communications director for the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, tells E24 that “the overall management certificate” has been withdrawn after an additional audit.
This affects 41 ferries and speedboats. The Boreal Norway spokesperson apologizes for the inconvenience this causes to their customers.
Boreal has not commented on what the serious discrepancies are.
In a press release, the Norwegian Maritime Authority provides further details. The Directorate writes that the investigations have revealed the following in at least five “serious facts”:
- Borealis had not “requested a damage / accident inspection so that the Norwegian Maritime Directorate can assess whether it is safe to sail.” Thus, the vessels were operated without a valid certificate, according to the management.
- The Norwegian Maritime Directorate also notes a lack of risk assessment after the “damage / incidents”, and that Boreal “has not carried out an internal follow-up or evaluated the technical failures in the equipment that led to the incident.”
- Furthermore, Boreal has not “followed the orders and inquiries of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate”, nor has it “reported further incidents to the Norwegian Maritime Directorate that are necessary for safety reasons”.
