Havila Voyages has received a dispensation from Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to operate Havila Capella for six months. During this period, the Havila Voyages will continue its efforts to secure refinancing and change ownership of Havila Capella.
Owing to the continued lack of approval from the authorities and an unresolved situation related to Havila Capella’s insurance coverage, its previous sailing from Bergen on April 12 was canceled. “We are very happy that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given us a dispensation from the sanctions regulations. This means that the ship is now not sanctioned, since we do not operate in violation of any current regulations,” said CEO Bent Martini. “Havila Voyages is a Norwegian company, and our ships sail under the Norwegian flag. This decision by the authorities gives us security for the future.”
The challenge Havila Voyages now faces is that some suppliers have treated Havila Capella as a sanctioned ship and announced termination of agreements entered. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has in its reply letter emphasized that they have not taken a position on dispensation for insurance in the matter. Insurance of Havila Capella will require a special dispensation upon application from the insurance companies.
“With the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we hope for positive feedback from the insurance companies and that they apply for a dispensation. As we interpret it, it should be possible to get this dispensation,” Martini said.
In its decision, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has considered several elements that Havila Voyages believes were crucial in obtaining a dispensation from the sanction regulations.
“This is based on facts about our operations. Havila Capella was built to operate the coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes in an agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and will consequently operate exclusively in Norwegian waters. The agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Communications ensures daily stops at 34 ports of call in Norway, which means that the population in these areas has access to critical infrastructure, which in addition to normal operation can be used in critical and unforeseen situations. This provides security for the coastal population,” said Martini.
“We also operate in the northern areas, areas with geographical conditions that very often have harsh climatic conditions where it is difficult to travel on land. During periods of the year, the ships on the coastal route will therefore contribute as a safety guarantee for the population for stable and safe transport when weather and other conditions make it difficult to travel over land, and air transport is excluded,” he said.
“Our goal is for the ship to be 100 percent owned by Havila Kystruten Operations AS, with a different financing solution than the one we have today. Until that is settled, the ship will return to route as soon as possible, for us to carry out our social mission which is to operate the classic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes,” he added.
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