Norway and the United Kingdom have their own sets of legislation and guidance to which respective diving contractors in the offshore oil industry have to abide. When crews and equipment from one country are required to operate in the other's waters, it is necessary to meet the local regulatory requirements. If a vessel crosses from one country's waters to the other, it will need to meet both sets of requirements simultaneously.

IMCA and OLF - Oljeindustriens Landsforening - the Norwegian Oil Industry Association - have jointly prepared this guidance document to assist their respective members operating in the sector. Its main objective is to facilitate the use of diving vessels and resources between the two jurisdictions; and to add safety and efficiency to such offshore diving operations by developing a common approach.

The document is based on a gap analysis which was undertaken to review and document the differences between the two regimes. Based on that analysis, good practice guidance on the management of transfer of diving operations between the two sectors has been developed.

The development saw involvement and consultation of a number of bodies, including industry, regulators and unions. It is intended to review use of the document periodically and update it accordingly, so feedback is welcomed.