Kristiansund is a pioneering municipality in a new maritime pilot project.

The municipality and Safepath AS are collaborating to realize a groundbreaking pilot project aimed at enhancing maritime safety and preparedness.

Kristiansund municipality has been working comprehensively and systematically with preparedness and is already considered a leading municipality in this area. By participating in this project, Kristiansund municipality once again demonstrates itself as a forward-thinking municipality that is willing to innovate and collaborate with local businesses, says Thomas Hammerseth, the head of Safepath's emergency response center.
 
Safepath is now launching a pilot project with the goal of enhancing maritime preparedness along the entire Norwegian coastline. Unexpected incidents and accidents occur daily, and the potential for serious incidents is significant when living on the coast and near one of Norway's most exposed sea areas.
 
The pilot project is in its early stages, and Kristiansund municipality is the first to participate. Paul Einar Storvik, Business Consultant in Kristiansund, believes that the municipality has a responsibility to promote economic development. He emphasizes the importance of providing support and assistance to local actors with growth potential and new opportunities.
 
The goal of the collaboration is to provide the municipality with relevant decision support in the event of unwanted incidents and accidents off the municipality's coast. This service will complement the existing emergency preparedness setup in the municipality, with the idea that the transfer of relevant information will enable emergency management to take more effective actions. Maritime incidents are often environmentally damaging, and pollution affecting marine life can be significant. By preventing as much as possible and detecting and responding quickly to incidents, the risk of severe environmental impact is reduced. At the same time, the goal is to minimize injuries and loss of life at sea.
 
Torbjørn Sagen, the emergency preparedness leader in Kristiansund municipality, is positive about the collaboration. He highlights that this collaboration provides the municipality with additional "eyes at sea," offering invaluable decision support. The pilot project is groundbreaking and could eventually become a national project for increased emergency preparedness in Norwegian municipalities.
 
The intention is for the Kristiansund model for maritime preparedness to become a national standard for all coastal municipalities in Norway. This collaborative model clearly demonstrates how the public and private sectors can work together to ensure better protection for our coastal communities and maritime resources. The goal is to achieve a more robust and rapid response capacity that can save lives and limit environmental damage in the event of unforeseen incidents at sea.

- The country we live in is a major maritime nation, and the ocean is a lifeline and workplace for many. We work every day to enhance the safety of all these people, and the pilot project will contribute to closer cooperation. The more municipalities that join, the better the results will be. It`s fantastic that the first municipality to participate is Kristiansund, as it gives us credibility when initiating dialogues with other municipalities, emphasizes Merethe Thomassen, Head of communication, market & sales at Safepath AS.