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Category: News & Press Releases

Danish EU Presidency focuses on maritime issues

Danish presidency for the Council of European Union started in January 2012. It is the seventh time Denmark organizes and leads the work of the Council of Ministers.

Majority of Danish efforts has been put into maritime issues, including the maritime issues around the Arctic. Denmark is one of the Arctic states and the key player in Arctic maritime shipping industry.

Yesterday, Danish representatives did reach the agreement on a stronger European Safety Agency. The purpose of the Agreement is to ensure that the Agency is able to carry out its tasks in relation to maritime safety and the maritime environment is a better and more efficient manner.

The negotiations on the new European Maritime Safety Agency have been led by Denmark since the beginning of its EU Presidency. The EMSA has existed for ten years and it was decided that the current marine development bring the need to strengthen it structure both on European and international level.

The political agreement will be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.

Source: European Maritime Safety Agency

April 18, 2012
Exchange Scholarships for Icelandic and Norwegian Students
Exchange Scholarships for Icelandic and Norwegian Students in Arctic Studies Application deadline: 15th May 2012, for the academic year 2012-2013

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Iceland and Norway signed a three year Memorandum of Understanding in Akureyri on September 29, 2011, concerning co-operation in the field of Arctic scientific research. Exchange scholarships for Icelandic and Norwegian Students in Arctic Studies are one of the key activities in this co-operation.

The scholarships in 2012/2013 will be 520€ per month for subsistence and a maximum 1.200 € travel grant. Minimum duration is one month and the maximum duration is 12 months.

The eligibility criteria are the same as for Nordplus Higher Education grants for studies or work placements, with the addition that doctoral students are also eligible for support. Priority will be given to Master and Ph.D. students and students wishing to study at Norwegian and Icelandic universities that are members of the University of the Arctic network.

Students should hand in their applications to the International office of their home institution.

Following documents need to be part of the application:
- Statement of purpose (500-1000 words) explaining the relevance of his or her planned studies or placement abroad for arctic research and education.
- Scanned copy of approved learning agreement, at least by the home institution and preferably also by the host institution.
- Transcript of records
Source: University of the Arctic
April 18, 2012
Nordic days in Murmansk start today!

This year´s event with its extensive program will present the modern cultural and daily life in the Nordic countries. The festival will include exhibitions, concerts and short movies presentations. The knowledge exchange will be possible through organized workshops, lectures and discussions. The festival starts today and will last until 26^th of April.

The initiative is jointly organized by the Consulate General of Norway in Murmansk, Murmansk Department of the Finnish Consulate General in St. Petersburg, Consulate General of Sweden in St. Petersburg, the Information Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg and the Danish cultural institute in St. Petersburg

This year´s program includes exhibitions that deal with contemporary issues in the North. The Nordic Council of Ministers will present two events within the frames of their “Knowledge Building and Networking Program for the North – West Russia”.

Murmansk, being the largest city in the Arctic, located in the north – west Russia, offers many attractions for its visitors such as Northern Navy Museum, Regional History Museum, Shipping History Museum and Arctic Research Institute Exposition. Although Murmansk is a large complex, most sites of interest to visitors are within a fairly compact area in the city center.

Its international airport provides with daily connections to Tromso, Kirkenes in Norway and Helsinki in Finland. Domestic flights are available on the scheduled basis from Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

Source: University of the Arctic

April 18, 2012
Closer co-operation between the Arctic states

Governments of eight Arctic states agreed on closer cooperation with regards to search and rescue operations on the Arctic waters.

Representatives from Ministries of Defense from Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Russia, Sweden and United States met at the Canadian military base in Goose Bay later last week to discuss further cooperation in the High North.

It was the first time that northern chiefs of defense had an opportunity to meet. Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Canadian Defence Staff, said after the meeting that he was very pleased with the discussions amongst the eight generals: “Certainly what we saw was a great sense of a spirit of co-operation amongst everyone. We were able to gain an understanding of the unique challenges each faces with regards to emergency response and for support to our civilian authorities”.

It was decided that from now on, the representatives of eight Arctic states will meet annually to discuss defense, search and rescue issues in the High North.

Source: Barents Observer

April 17, 2012
Aker Solutions Wins Cat B Well Intervention Contract from Statoil

Statoil awarded Aker Solutions a contract today for hiring of an entirely new type of rig which represents an important technological advance for the industry. The category B rig will be an important contribution towards increasing recovery from existing fields.

Development of technology for increasing the recovery from operating fields is an area of commitment for Statoil. For the last year, the average oil recovery rate from Statoil operated fields has risen from 49 percent to 50 percent.

The category B rig is designed and equipped for the industrialization of drilling and intervention services in existing production wells and represent a new sort of service.

A cooperation with the supplier industry, Statoil has developed a new type of rig and well control system specially adapted to carry out well intervention and drilling operations in existing subsea wells.

This type of rig fills the gap between light intervention vessels (category A) and conventional rigs (category C). The category B rig with associated integrated services is expected to reduce operating costs for well intervention by as much as 40%.

Statoil and the licensees will enter into an eight-year contract with options for three times two years for the category B service. The estimated value of the contract is USD 1.9 billion. In addition to rig rental, the contract also includes rental of the necessary equipment and services to carry out well intervention, sidetrack drilling, ROV operations, well testing and cementing. The rig will be in service during 2015.

Source: World Maritime News

April 17, 2012
Murmansk to open Arctic emergency center on NSR

The Russian government announced that the emergency and rescue centers are to be open along the Northern Sea Route.

Russian hopes for the future of NSR bring the country´s investments of more than 20 million Euros into the area. Projects for ten rescue centers, located on Chukotka, Andyr, in Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Naryan-Mar, Vorkuta, Nadym, Dudinka and Tiksi have already been prepared and construction is planned to be finished before 2015. The first rescue center is to be located in the port of Dudinka and it will start operating from August 2012.

The center in strategic hub for NSR – Murmansk will be ready before the end of 2013 as confirmed by the Russia’s Deputy Minister of Regional Development Aleksander Viktorov at the “Security and Cooperation in the Arctic: New Frontiers” conference recently held in Murmansk.

The map presents all current and future shipping routes available in the Arctic for both cargo and passenger operations. Please, be referred to our Interactive Mapping System to access more information about the Arctic shipping routes and sea ports located in Russia.

Source: Barents Observer

April 17, 2012
Glaciers in Asia to expand

French scientists report that glaciers in the Karakoram Mountain Range in Asia are growing, not shrinking as previously suspected.

Karakoram Range is a great mountains system, extending close to 500 km from the eastern part of Afghanistan in a southeasterly direction along the watershed between Central and South Asia. The area was recognized as one with a great concentration of highest mountains in the world and the longest glaciers outside the high latitudes.

General research indicated that glaciers in the Himalayas were decreasing and in fact they could be gone before the year of 2035. However, the French suggested that ice sheet in Karakoram became thicker in the last few years, but the credible explanation for this statement could not be yet provided due to little knowledge about the glaciers in this region.

Nevertheless, it is the fact that the Himalaya’s glaciers are the main source of water for over billion people who live in the region. The need for further research has been stressed by the French scientists.

Source: Morgunbladið

April 17, 2012
Activities in Dreki in 2-3 years

Iceland is excited as the first hints of oil discovery have been confirmed in the Dreki area, north of Iceland. One aspect for local communities is the service for the station.

A service station would mean jobs for the people in the communities, many desperate for employment after the crisis in Iceland. Municipalities in the northern part of Iceland have been exploring the possibilities of a service station for some time.

Icelandic company ODR has been working with service suppliers Asco in the search for the best area.

The role of ODR is storing and distributing petroleum products for the owners and operation of specialized maintenance for service stations and own equipment.

Asco runs sixteen service stations in five continents.

They found out that three areas are most prominent, in Akureyri, Húsavík and Reyðarfjörður. Vopnafjörður and Þórshöfn are also in consideration. An intention letter has been signed with the first three municipalities.

The service station would also service oil search in eastern Greenland, as well as the Dreki area.

It is thought that the first activities in the area will be in 1-3 years, when an oil rig would be positioned in the area.

The two Asco representitives have also looked at the infrastructure in the communities. “All these places are under consideration,” Hörður Gunnarsson from ODR said.

“It is also possible to service the search from Greenland, from other service stations in Iceland because of the distances and the infrastructure in Iceland,” Runar Hatletvedt from Asco in North Europe said.

Hörður added: “It is important not to get ahead of yourself now and not over invest. But the possibilities are there,” he said.

Runar said that “based on past experience that we might see the first activities in 1-3 years, probably 2-3 years. It is realistic.”

Hörður noted that it could also take up to 10 years for some activities, but it is clear that Iceland has great interests in the area and monitors the activities very closely.

Sources

Channel 2

April 13, 2012
New Arctic brigades in the making

Norway and Russia are strengthening their cooperation in the Arctic. The two states already have an extensive cooperation, but are strengthening with military relations and multi-branch exercises with common strategic and environment-based programs.

The countries recently held talks about the strengthening of political and military operations. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov and Norwegian Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide with Roger Ingebrigtsen, state secretary for defense, attended the meetings.

Both countries are reorganizing their naval, air and land forces in the strategic High North. Both countries are planning Arctic brigades, Russia in the Kola Peninsula and Norway in Skjold, in the High North’s Troms county. The countries also discussed NATO’s missile defense plan for Europe, which Russia is robustly opposed to.

“Our relations with Russia have never been better than they are now,” Ingebrigtsen said. “We want to deepen the good relationship that we have even further. Among other things, we would like to hold more joint training exercises, both on land and at sea, probably in 2013.”

The strengthened relationship, Antonov said, is reflected in the fact that the two militaries will participate in 24 joint exercises and events over the next 12 months. “The goal for both sides is increased security in the High North, which can only benefit our countries,” Antonov said.

The annual naval exercise POMOR-2012, which takes place in May, will be the next major demonstration of stronger bilateral military collaboration between Norway and Russia. The exercise will involve Norwegian and Russian naval and air assets, including frigates, destroyers, helicopter support and combat aircraft.

The range of joint tasks will include boarding operations, search and rescue, air defense, navigation and interoperability of communication procedures and systems.

Source: Defensenews

April 10, 2012
Three offers for the Dreki Area
Three offers were submitted for search of oil in the Dreki Area. Icelanders are part of them all.

There are high hopes for the Dreki Area and all points to oil being in the Jan Mayen ridge. A part of the area is in Icelandic waters.
The first invitation to bid in the search was three years ago. Two offers were submitted now. Icelanders are happy three offers were submitted midst in the crisis.
The offers are from Eykon, an unregistered company in Iceland. It looks at the project as one for the future. “We have international sponsors with us but we are doing the ground work. These partners are experienced in searching for oil in similar circumstances as in Jan Mayen,” Heiðar Már Guðjónsson from Eykon said.

The next offer is from Faroe Petroleum and Íslenskt Kolvetni ehf. Faroe is a 15 year old company based in Scotland, with a staff of 50. It explores the British, Norwegian and the Faroese waters.

The last one is from Valiant Petroleum og Kolvetni ehf. “Valiant, and Faroe Petroleum, are big companies so this is very positive,” Gunnlaugur Jónsson from Kolvetni ehf. said.

The chief of the National Energy Authority in Iceland was excited about the result. “These are three companies with knowledge in the area. This is a very good result and goes beyond our biggest expectations,” Jóhannesson said.

The minister of energy in Iceland said that the best possible result of the oil search would that very high income would be a reality in Iceland, for a short time, in about 10 years’ time.
The National Energy Authority will answer the bidders before the end of November.

Source
- Channel 2
April 3, 2012