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Arctic Shipping News

22 Jan 2024

Red Sea Shipping Disruptions Could be Avoided by Using the Arctic, But Challenges Exist

© Andrei Stepanov / Adobe Stock

Attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels on merchant ships in the Red Sea have hit world trade. Between November and December 2023, the number of containers travelling through the Red Sea each day fell by 60% as ships moving goods between Asia and Europe diverted their routes around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.This route results in at least ten days more sailing time, so has caused freight prices to surge and has triggered costly delays to production. The region has become a bottleneck for the global economy before.

12 Sep 2023

Dagenais Hired to Lead Transport Nanuk and the NEAS Group

Transport Nanuk inc. and the NEAS Group Inc. ("NEAS") (Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc./Nunavik Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc. /NEAS Inc.), marine services providers specializing in Eastern Arctic marine resupply, announced the appointment of Daniel Dagenais as president and chief executive officer, effective October 10, 2023. A seasoned maritime executive, Dagenais will bring his strategic mindset and strong operational knowledge to the NEAS Group. Dagenais will replace Suzanne Paquin, who announced her decision to retire."We are pleased to welcome Mr. Dagenais to the NEAS Group," said Leo Charriere, chairman of the board of Transport Nanuk inc., managing partner of NEAS Group Inc.

27 Jun 2022

Melting Arctic Ice Could Transform International Shipping Routes -Study

© Nightman1965 / Adobe Stock

Melting ice in the Arctic Ocean could yield new trade routes in international waters, reducing the shipping industry’s carbon footprint and weakening Russia’s control over trade routes through the Arctic, a study found.With climate change rapidly warming the world’s oceans, the future of the Arctic Ocean looks grim. Climate models show that parts of the Arctic that were once covered in ice year-round are warming so quickly that they will be reliably ice-free for months on end in as few as two decades.

26 Jan 2022

Russia Starts Navy Drills to Rehearse Protecting Arctic Shipping Lane

(Photo: Russian Defense Ministry)

Russian warships entered the Barents Sea on Wednesday to rehearse protecting a major shipping lane in the Arctic, its Northern Fleet said on Wednesday, as Moscow stages sweeping military exercises involving all of its fleets.Russian military moves are being closely watched by the West at a time when a troop build-up near its border with Ukraine has sparked fears of a conflict. Moscow has denied it plans to launch an attack on Ukraine.Moscow said last week it would stage a series of drills involving all its fleets in the seas directly adjacent to Russia.

23 Sep 2021

Arctic Shipping Requires New Ways to Manage Risks

© Silver/AdobeStock

In February 2021, LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie, escorted by a nuclear icebreaker, became the first large-capacity cargo vessel to transit the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The voyage demonstrated that year-round safe navigation is possible along the entire length of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).In the last five years, cargo traffic along the NSR has grown almost fivefold, reaching 33 million tons in 2020. Last year, there were 64 voyages on the NSR compared with 37 in 2019.

03 Sep 2021

Sovcomflot, Gazprom Neft Partner Up to Decarbonize Shipping

Credit; Sovcomflot

Russian shipping firm Sovcomflot and oil firm Gazprom Neft have signed an agreement to develop innovative technologies and use low-carbon fuels in maritime transport.The document was signed by Igor Tonkovidov, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, and Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board, CEO, Gazprom Neft.The agreement defines that the two Russian companies will seek cooperation opportunities in the reduction of ship emissions and reinforcement of safety and efficiency


03 Sep 2021

Russia Gearing Up for First LNG-fueled Icebreaker as Arctic Shipping Grows

Icebreaker clears path for Nornickel cargo carrier along Norther Sea Route - Credit: Nornickel

Metals miner Nornickel said it will participate in the design and building of Russia's first dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel icebreaker to prepare for more capacity in the environmentally sensitive Arctic region.Russia, which has a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers, has long considered LNG-powered icebreaking ships to develop the Northeast Sea Route into an international shipping lane from Arctic waters.Nornickel, the world's largest palladium and nickel producer


01 Apr 2021

MSC Reaffirms Commitment to Avoid Arctic Shipping Routes

© Alexey Seafarer / Adobe Stock

Container shipping giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company doubled down on its position to avoid sending its vessels through the Northern Sea Route and urged others to follow suit, citing environmental concerns.“As a responsible company, this was an obvious decision for us,” said MSC CEO, Soren Toft. “MSC will not seek to cut through the melting ice of the Arctic to find a new route for commercial shipping, and I consider this a position the whole shipping industry must adopt.”Running from Murmansk near Russia’s border with Norway to the Bering Strait near Alaska


15 Feb 2021

Government Update: Coast Guard Authorization Act

© Lars Johansson/AdobeStock

On January 1, 2021, in an unusual New Year’s Day session, the Senate (following similar action by the House) overrode President Trump’s veto and enacted into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 6395). In addition to the provisions relating to the Department of Defense, the bill contains numerous maritime sections, including Authorization Acts for the Coast Guard (USCG), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).Coast GuardThe Coast Guard Authorization Act allows for acquisition of an additional National Security Cutter


27 Oct 2020

Arctic Shipping Creates Insurance Headaches as Routes Open

© a_medvedkov / Adobe Stock

When Captain Will Whatley guides a ship through Arctic waters, he is starkly aware of what can go wrong.Double the manpower is needed to navigate. Lookout shifts are kept to just one hour, so sailors don't lose concentration and miss a mass of floating ice. Big icebergs show up on radar, but smaller, truck-sized "bergy bits"—even more dangerous—can be missed, the captain says.The cold can freeze equipment and the earth's magnetic field disrupts compasses. If anything goes wrong


23 Apr 2020

US Sends Aid to Greenland in Bid to Counter China, Russia in Arctic

© Danni / Adobe Stock

The United States announced a $12.1 million economic aid package for Greenland on Thursday aimed at strengthening mutual ties and boost a renewed U.S. push for a greater military presence in the Arctic.The move to improve ties with Greenland drew criticism from Denmark, which less than a year ago rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer to buy the vast Arctic island as “absurd.”Greenland, which on Thursday welcomed the money, is becoming increasingly important for the U.S. military and for the U.S.

23 Apr 2020

Russian Firms to Build World's Most Powerful Nuclear Icebreaker

(Photo: Atomflot)

Two Russian companies signed a deal on Thursday to build the world's most powerful nuclear icebreaker to help boost trade on a northern sea route crucial to forging closer links with Asia.Atomflot, a subsidiary of Russian nuclear group Rosatom, and the Zvezda shipyard, owned by a consortium led by oil giant Rosneft, said they would work together to build the Lider (Leader) icebreaker.President Vladimir Putin has said that Arctic shipping routes along Russia's northern coast could rival the Suez Canal as a short-cut trade route between Europe and Asia.Rosatom said the 209-meter icebreaker


16 Mar 2020

ABB Supporting Sustainable Arctic Shipping

(Photo: Sovcomflot)

High in the Arctic Circle lies the Northern Sea Route, one of the planet’s vital shipping arteries. It cuts a journey by almost a third compared to the southern route but it is passing through waters which are mostly frozen.The northern route connects east and west, allowing cargo to be transferred from northern Europe to northeast Asia, via the Bering Strait. It’s a 30% faster passage than the southern Europe-Asia alternative via the Suez Canal and is attractive to shipping companies, thanks to considerable fuel and emission savings.

14 Nov 2019

USCG PSC Equals meaningful Polar Presence

An emperor penguin poses for a photo in front of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star in McMurdo Sound near Antarctica on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018. The crew of the Seattle-based Polar Star is on its way to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2018, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Nick Ameen.

The Coast Guard needs a ship that can do more than just break ice; it needs a multi-mission ship to provide for the nation’s security, asserting its sovereign rights, and protecting its long-term economic interests. That ship is the Polar Security Cutter.Since Russia cashed the check in 1867 for the purchase of Alaska the U.S. has been an Arctic nation. Today, it is one of eight countries that have territorial land or seas above the Arctic Circle or in the polar region (six of those countries have Arctic Ocean coastline or an exclusive economic zone above the Arctic Circle). The U.S.

29 Oct 2019

Ship Design: Evolving for Efficiency, Compliance

Alternate fuels such as liquid hydrogen are already well-served by existing supply chains. Credit: Glosten

The evolution of marine design is increasingly influenced by three drivers: New three-dimensional design tools, the increasing complexity of power systems, and new access to high-latitude shipping routes. While new digital design tools are a natural progression of the current Information Age, new propulsion energy requirements and Polar shipping routes are reactions to the legacy of the ebbing Industrial Age. Three-Dimensional Design WorkflowsA young naval architect recently stated


28 Oct 2019

Nike Takes Arctic Shipping Pledge

Nike and Ocean Conservancy are encouraging businesses to avoid shipping routes via the Arctic Ocean, with the launch of an ‘Arctic Shipping Corporate Pledge.'As climate change causes Arctic sea ice to diminish, cargo traffic through previously unnavigable ocean routes becomes increasingly feasible. Though these routes can offer decreased transit times, the possibility of increased vessel traffic across the Arctic poses great risk and potentially devastating environmental impacts for one of the world’s most fragile regions.“At Nike, we exist to serve athletes. That means taking climate action through Move to Zero, Nike’s journey towards a zero carbon, zero waste future,” says Hilary Krane, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Nike, Inc.

21 Oct 2019

CAA Welcomes MSC 's Shelving Arctic Routes

Clean Arctic Alliance has welcome MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company's decision to avoid Arctic shipping route as a new short cut between northern Europe and Asia.Clean Arctic Alliance lead advisor Dr Sian Prior was responding to the announcement that shipping company MSC “will not explore or use the Northern Sea Route between Europe and Asia for container shipping” and that it believes that shipping lines should focus on reducing the environmental impact of existing shipping trade routes”.“The Clean Arctic Alliance welcomes MSC’s decision to avoid using the Northern Sea Route to ship goods between Asia and Europe. While MSC have understandably come under fire for their environmental record elsewhere


03 Oct 2019

Pangaea Orders 2 More High Ice Class Ships

Pangaea Logistics Solutionsexpanded its order for high ice class post-panamax dry bulk 95,000 dwt. vessels at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) from two to four vessels.The four ships, two for delivery in April and May 2021 and two for delivery in November 2021, will be used to service Pangaea's Arctic customer base. The two added ships, also designed with Ice Class 1A specifications, will cost $37.7 million each.Pangaea also announced a series of committed transactions to finance the ships through a $129.2 million bareboat charter structure. On delivery, each of the ships will be sold to subsidiaries of CSSC Shipping Company Limited, a leading ship leasing company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange.

26 Sep 2019

IPCC SROCC Reports Call for HFO Ban

The Clean Arctic Alliance and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada call for urgent action to ban heavy fuel oil (HFO) use and carriage by Arctic shipping to reduce risks of a devastating spill, and to reduce black carbon emissions in the Arctic, responding to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC).SROCC’s Summary for Policymakers states that “Arctic ship-based transportation and tourism have implications for global trade, northern nations, and economies linked to traditional shipping corridors; they will also exacerbate local risks to marine ecosystems


03 Sep 2019

Residential Yacht Receives MIKO Polar Kits

Illustration demonstrates the Polar Kit application technique for a Miko Plaster. Image: MIKO

Preparations for the largest privately-owned residential yacht, The World, to sail the Northwest Passage across Canada from Nuuk, Greenland to Nome, Alaska this summer have included the purchase of a Miko Plasters Polar Kit as defence against the risk of being holed by ice.A team from Oslo-based Miko Marine AS flew to Reykjavik, Iceland in early August where they demonstrated the techniques developed for applying a magnetic patch to seal any hole caused by accidental contact with hard ice as might occur in open water or drift ice.

13 Aug 2019

Green Group Asks Cosco to Avoid HFO in Arctic

Clean Arctic Alliance has sent its second letter to Cosco, in which the NGOs urge the Chinese liner company to make public what fuel types its vessels use in the Arctic.Responding to reports that the 190m-long COSCO-owned cargo vessel Tian’en is due to arrive in the Swedish port of Gävle on August 18, having traversed the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route between the Pacific and the Atlantic, Clean Arctic Alliance Lead Advisor Sian Prior said: “Earlier this year, the Clean Arctic Alliance wrote to COSCO requesting it make public the nature of the fuel that the Tian’en, and other COSCO vessels planning on transiting the Northern Sea Route, will be using and carrying through Arctic waters.

28 Aug 2019

Greenland Summit Focus on Polar Code

Changing climatic conditions are opening up the polar regions to more and more maritime activity, said International Maritime Organization (IMO).But ships which operate in the harsh Arctic and Antarctic regions are exposed to many unique risks – so their safety, and the protection of the polar environment, have always been a matter of concern for IMO.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim is visiting Ilulissat, Greenland (25-29 August) to participate in a high-level roundtable on Arctic shipping. It is the first ever visit to Greenland by an IMO Secretary-General.During his opening remarks, Lim emphasized the need for balanced and sustainable shipping activities in Arctic waters.

14 Jun 2019

Maersk Explores Arctic Shipping Route with Russia

© Artem / Adobe Stock

Shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Friday it is in talks with Russia's state-owned icebreaker operator to send more goods via the Arctic, which is becoming more accessible as climate change reduces the sea ice.Russia has made developing the so-called northern sea route (NSR) - which requires new ports and heavy icebreakers to move goods - a priority, with supporters dubbing the route the northern Suez Canal.Last summer, Maersk carried out what it said was a one-off trial