BERGEN, HJELTEFJORDEN, SOGNEFJORD AND HARDANGERFJORD APPROACHES (VESTLAND)

Bergen and the western fjords: boating safety

Last verified: 14 October 2026

Bergen is the main port of western Norway and the gateway to the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord. Visiting boats berth in the city harbour of Vågen, then cruise sheltered island leads and deep fjords. The approaches carry heavy ferry, coastal-express, offshore and cruise traffic monitored by Fedje VTS.

LIFE IN DANGER AT SEA

Call +47 51 51 70 00

Call JRCC Stavanger on +47 51 51 70 00. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF 16, or DSC on channel 70.

Norway: all rescue numbers → On the rescue map → Print an emergency card →

Harbour and marinas

Bergen harbour office (Havnekontoret), Dreggsalmenningen, Slottsgt. 1: phone 55 56 89 50, VHF 12. The approaches are monitored by Fedje VTS: VHF 80 (area North), VHF 71 (area South).

Kartverket – Den norske los (Norwegian sailing directions), Bergen, updated 2026-02-04 · Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration) ▾

dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “Kontakt Havnekontoret Adresse Dreggsalmenningen, Slottsgt. 1, Bergen Telefon 55 56 89 50 Faks VHF 12”

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “Fedje VTS VHF channel 80 (area North) VHF channel 71 (area South)”

Local rules

Norway has no single national speed limit: local limits vary by municipality and are in addition to COLREGs; the Coastal Administration recommends 5 knots within 100–500 m of land in sheltered recreational waters. "Sakte fart" signs are reminders, not a new limit. The legal blood-alcohol limit for operators of pleasure craft is 0.8.

Kystverket – Recreational craft · Kystverket – Recreational craft · Kystverket – Recreational craft ▾

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “Everyone travelling by sea must follow local speed restrictions. These will vary from municipality to municipality.”

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “the Norwegian Coastal Administration recommends a local speed limit of 5 knots up to a distance from land of between 100 metres and 500 metres.”

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “The maximum legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.8 for operators of pleasure craft.”

In Bergen, anchoring is not allowed in Puddefjorden west of the transit line Dokkeskjerskaien–Frieleneskaien. Small boats may use the inner harbour (Vågen, inner Puddefjorden) but may not lie at anchor on a swing there.

Kartverket – Den norske los, Bergen ▾

dnl.kartverket.no (2026-10-14): “Smaller vessels can seek the inner harbor areas – Vågen and the inner part of Puddefjorden, but they cannot stay there on the swing.”

Hazards

The Fedje VTS area stretches from Sognesjøen to Marstein and borders the Port of Bergen; ships of 24 m or more are regulated there. All communication with the VTS centre, including ship-to-ship coordination, is on the VTS VHF channels, so leisure skippers should listen there to follow big-ship movements.

Kystverket – About the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) · Kystverket – Requirements for vessels operating in VTS areas · Kystverket – Requirements for vessels operating in VTS areas ▾

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “Fedje VTS centre covers the area from Sognesjøen in the north to the waters at Marstein in the south, and has a border to the Port of Bergen in the east”

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “The regulations mainly apply to vessels of 24 metres or more.”

kystverket.no (2026-10-14): “All communication between the VTS centre and a vessel must take place in the VTS centre’s VHF channels.”

Hospital and medical

Haukeland University Hospital (Helse Bergen) runs a national hyperbaric unit with 24-hour dive-medicine readiness. For a diving accident, call the medical emergency number 113 and ask for the nearest diving doctor.

Helse Bergen HF (Haukeland universitetssjukehus) · Helse Bergen HF (Haukeland universitetssjukehus) ▾

helse-bergen.no (2026-10-14): “Ved dykkarulykke, ring 113 og be om næraste dykkarlege.”

helse-bergen.no (2026-10-14): “Vi har døgnkontinuerleg dykkemedisinsk vaktberedskap.”

Frequently asked

Who do I call in an emergency at sea near Bergen and the western fjords?

Call JRCC Stavanger on +47 51 51 70 00. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.

How do I contact the harbour in Bergen and the western fjords?

Bergen harbour office (Havnekontoret), Dreggsalmenningen, Slottsgt. 1: phone 55 56 89 50, VHF 12. The approaches are monitored by Fedje VTS: VHF 80 (area North), VHF 71 (area South).

Read before you sail

Cold water shock and hypothermia: what to do Person overboard: what to do Engine failure: what to do when you lose power Chartering in Norway: licence & rules

Nearby destinations

Oslofjord 164 nm Gothenburg and Bohuslän 260 nm Svendborg 365 nm Copenhagen 369 nm Kiel and the Flensburg Fjord 393 nm Stockholm archipelago 410 nm Oban 414 nm Harlingen and the Wadden Sea 435 nm

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