Ships in the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register (NOR) have to be owned by EEA citizens or by an EEA company where EEA citizens own at least 60 per cent of the capital. Exemptions from the 60 per cent rule may exceptionally be granted. There is no such limitation for ships registered in the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS). When the ship is registered in NOR and the ship-owning company is a limited liability company, it must be headquartered in the EEA area. The majority of the members of the board, including the chairman, must be EEA citizens resident in the EEA area, having resided in the EEA area the preceding two years. When the ship is registered in NIS and the ship owning company has more than 40 per cent  non-EEA ownership,  the ship must be operated by a Norwegian ship-owning company with head office in Norway, or by a Norwegian management company. If the ship is registered directly in the NIS by a foreign company, an EEA representative is required. The representative must be domiciled in Norway and be authorized to receive a lawsuit on behalf of the ship owner.
"§ 1. Nationality conditions
A ship shall be considered Norwegian when it has not been entered in another country's ship register and is owned by:
1) Norwegian citizen;
2) partner shipping company or other Norwegian company where the members are unlimitedly liable for the company's obligations, if Norwegian citizens are co-owners for at least 6/10;
3) limited partnerships, if Norwegian citizens own at least 6/10 of the liable capital and at least 6/10 of the limited partnerships;
4) limited liability company that does not fall under no. 3, if the company's head office and board seat are in Norway and the majority of the board, including the chairman of the board, consists of Norwegian citizens who reside in Norway and have lived here for the past two years, and Norwegian citizens own shares or participations corresponding to at least 6/10 of the company's capital and may exercise voting rights in the company with at least 6/10 of the votes.
For the purposes of this section, as in the case of a Norwegian citizen, it shall be deemed to be owned by the Norwegian state, institution or fund controlled by the Norwegian state, Norwegian municipality, company which itself fulfills the conditions in the first paragraph, or Norwegian bank, foundation or association if the board has its seat in Norway and the majority of the board consists of Norwegian citizens residing in Norway.
For the purposes of this section, what is owned by a Norwegian citizen shall be deemed to be owned by a person, company or business covered by the provisions of the EEA Agreement. If the ship is owned by a company, company or similar, this must be established in accordance with the legislation of one of the countries affiliated to the EEA Agreement and have its registered office, its principal administration or its principal place of business in one of these countries. Similar to the requirement for Norwegian citizenship and residence for the board members in the first paragraph no. 4, citizenship and residence in countries associated with the EEA agreement are considered. It is a condition that the ship is part of an economic activity established in Norway, and that the ship is operated from Norway. If the ship is used for leisure purposes and is not part of an economic activity, it may be owned by a person who is resident in Norway and who is a citizen of a country affiliated to the EEA Agreement.
If a ship is owned by a foreign citizen who is domiciled in Norway and who is not from one of the member states of the EEA Agreement, the Ministry may in special cases approve the ship as Norwegian. Likewise, the Ministry may in special cases make exceptions from the requirements in the first paragraph nos. 2 to 4, cf. the second paragraph that Norwegian citizens shall own at least 6/10 of the capital and be able to exercise voting rights with at least 6/10 of the votes.
If the owner is not domiciled in Norway, he shall appoint a representative, resident in Norway and with citizenship of a country affiliated to the EEA Agreement, who is authorized to receive legal action on behalf of the owner.
A ship that is considered Norwegian pursuant to section 1, first paragraph, is nevertheless not considered Norwegian as long as, in accordance with section 40 b, it is bareboat registered in another country's ship register.
A ship that is entered in another country's ship register is nevertheless considered Norwegian if it is bareboat registered in the Norwegian ship register in accordance with § 40 .
[...]
§ 101. Definition, deviation
Partner shipping company means a company whose purpose is to conduct shipping business and where the members are unlimitedly liable for the company's obligations, either jointly and severally or in relation to their shares in the company. Co-shipping is also considered co-ownership in ships which, by agreement between the co-owners, are to be used for shipping activities for joint account.
[...]
§ 103. Managing owner
In any partner shipping company, there must be a managing shipowner.
A person who is a Norwegian citizen resident in Norway or a responsible company where all participants are Norwegian citizens resident in Norway or a company with limited liability that fulfills the conditions in § 1 no. 4 can be chosen as managing director . from a country affiliated to the EEA Agreement.
In special cases, the Ministry may dispense with the requirement that all participants in the responsible company must be resident in Norway.[...]" (Maritime Act (LOV-1994-06-24-39), last amended 01.07.2020, §§ 1, 101, 103 [google translation])
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"§ 1. Conditions for registration.
Upon request, power-driven passenger ships, cargo ships and hovercraft, as well as drilling platforms and other mobile facilities, may be registered in the Norwegian International Ship Register when they are not entered in another country's register, and:
1. the owner satisfies the nationality conditions in the Maritime Act § 1 ; or
2. the owner, if this does not satisfy the nationality conditions in the Maritime Act § 1 ,
a) is a limited company, public limited company or limited partnership with headquarters in Norway; or
b) is a partner shipping company, with a managing shipowner who satisfies the provisions on managing shipowners in the Maritime Act, Chapter 5.
3. The owner, if he does not satisfy the conditions in point 1 or 2, has appointed a representative who is authorized to receive legal action on behalf of the owner. The representative must fulfill the nationality requirements set for the managing shipowner in section 103 of the Maritime Act .
The operation of ships registered in accordance with section 2 or 3 above shall be handled by a Norwegian shipping company with headquarters in Norway.
The King may by regulation grant access for registration of other vessels and facilities.
A ship that is considered Norwegian pursuant to section 1, first paragraph, is nevertheless not considered Norwegian as long as it is bareboat registered in another state in accordance with section 16 .
A ship that is entered in another country's ship register is nevertheless considered Norwegian if it is bareboat registered in the Norwegian ship register in accordance with §14. [...]" (Act on the Norwegian International Ship Register (LOV-1987-06-12-48), last amended 01.07.2020, §1 [google translation])
Maritime Act (LOV-1994-06-24-39), last amended 01.07.2020, §§ 1, 101, 103
Act on the Norwegian International Ship Register (LOV-1987-06-12-48), last amended 01.07.2020, §1
[<a href="https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1994-06-24-39">Maritime Act</a>],[<a href="https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1987-06-12-48">Act on the Norwegian International Ship Register</a>]