NATO Submarine Base to Become Rig Haven

Norwegian Ministry of Defense approves sale of Olavsvern naval base outside Tromsø.

Location of Olavsvern naval base

The sale is to the investor group Triko AS which includes Odfjell Drilling, PSW Rig Service, and in cooperation with Petro Support Group, will create a service center for the offshore petroleum industry. reports the Barents Observer.

Olavsvern was built during the Cold War with NATO-funding and holds tunnels into the mountain where Norwegian and allied submarines could hide or get supplies while on patrol in Arctic waters. Both American and British nuclear-powered submarines used to make port calls to the base that is located 20km outside Tromsø.

The base was officially written-off by NATO in April 2012, following the restructuring of the Norwegian navy. Stortinget (the Parliament) decided to close down the base in 2008. In addition to the port facilities, the base has a 25,000 sq m mountain facility, including tunnels with direct access to sea for vessels. It has a dock for submarines and a helipad.