Kystvakt

Kystvakt is a term used in Nordic languages to denote the coast guard, a maritime authority responsible for safeguarding coastal and territorial waters, enforcing maritime law, and coordinating safety at sea. In Norway the system is called the kystvakten, a naval service that conducts coastal surveillance, fisheries enforcement, search-and-rescue coordination, and environmental monitoring. In Sweden and Denmark the equivalents are kustbevakningen and kystvagten; while duties and structures vary, their core missions are similar.

Core functions typically include patrols of territorial waters, inspection of fishing and other vessels to ensure safety and regulatory compliance, search-and-rescue operations, maintenance or coordination of aids to navigation, and port security. Coast guards also handle anti-smuggling, border control, and response to environmental incidents such as oil spills, often working with customs, police, navy, and civilian maritime authorities. International cooperation is common for safety, fisheries, and border-control tasks.

Historically, coast guard duties grew from local port police and fisheries inspection into unified national services focused on safety, security, and environment at sea. Modern kystvakts are usually integrated within a government ministry, the navy, or a security agency, and rely on a mix of patrol vessels, aircraft, and shore assets.

See also: Coast guard; Maritime safety; Search and rescue.