Works on the seabed

​​​Here you can read about the general guidelines for works on the seabed, works with submarine cables and pipelines as well as raw material extraction.

Before you start working, you must apply for a permit from the responsible Government authority:

Danish Coastal Authority: Fixed installations and geotechnical investigations in territorial waters. 

Danish Energy Agency: Laying electrical cables and oil and gas pipelines on the seabed.

Danish Environmental Protection Agency: Extraction of raw materials from the seabed.

As regards safety of navigation, you must follow the general guidelines for Construction works at sea.

Submarine cables and pipelines

During the construction phase, the Danish Maritime Authority will establish a protective zone of 200 metres on both sides of the cable and/or pipeline lay-out, which applies from its publication in Notices to Mariners. In the protective zone, anchoring, dredging, boulder fishing and using dragging gear are prohibited. The permanent protective zone is established by drawing the submarine cable or the pipeline in the chart.

The protective zone is established in pursuance of order no. 939 of 27 November 1992 on protection of submarine cables and submarine pipelines (the cable order), which does however not apply within the territorial waters of a port. The main purpose of the protective zone is to protect the interests of the submarine cable or the pipeline owner.

Submarine works or activities must not be made within the protective zones of submarine cables or pipelines without previous agreement with the submarine cable or pipeline owner. Details about submarine cables and pipelines in the area can be sought from the register of pipelines www.ler.dk or from the pipeline owner. Submarine cables can also be seen on www.dkcpc.dk (Danish Cable Protection Committee)

Ammunition and suspicious objects on the seabed

Stop the work and contact the Naval Staff, telephone +45 89 43 30 99 and email: VFK@mil.dk if, during the work, ammunition remains are found on the seabed (Unexploded Ordnance UXO) or other suspicious objects.

Contact

Safety of Navigation, National Waters (Danish Emergency Management Agency)
+45 72 85 20 00