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  • 4th Polar Shipping Summit

    4th Polar Shipping Summit

    ship in the arctic

    Today, 12th of March 2013, the 4th Polar Shipping Summit takes place in Montreal, Canada. The Polar Shipping Summit has been an annual even to summarize the past year of Polar navigation.

    The forum brings together Arctic experts from North America, Asia and Europe to share their experience and views on the best solutions for the current operational challenges as well as the strategy and most up to day technical solutions and current operational challenges of navigation in the polar waters.

    The policy makers, government officials and senior Arctic representatives explain policy and regulatory changes for the upcoming years and promote understanding for the strategy for the economic development for the Northern hemisphere.

    This year’s event will touch upon policy and regulatory challenges and considerations of Canadian short sea shipping in the Arctic, Arctic northern Sea Route and effective voyage planning, ice breaking operation in the North, satellite and port communications , crew training and many more.

    Delegates are drawn from the shipping operators, owners, coast guards and transport authorities, consultants, researchers and brokers. The event is open for public to attend. Registration starts on Tuesday, 12th of March 2013. For more information, please access the conference website.

    HMM

    Source

    4th Polar Shipping Summit

  • Central Arctic route in use by 2050

    Central Arctic route in use by 2050

    Guardians map of Arctic Shipping

    Ships should be able to sail directly over the north pole by the middle of this century, considerably reducing the costs of trade between Europe and China but posing new economic, strategic and environmental challenges for governments, according to scientists.

    The dramatic reduction in the thickness and extent of late summer sea ice that has taken place in each of the last seven years has already made it possible for some ice-strengthened ships to travel across the north of Russia via the “northern sea route”. Last year a total of 46 ships made the trans-Arctic passage, mostly escorted at considerable cost by Russian icebreakers.

    But by 2050, say Laurence C. Smith and Scott R. Stephenson at the University of California in the journal PNAS on Monday, ordinary vessels should be able to travel easily along the northern sea route, and moderately ice-strengthened ships should be able to take the shortest possible route between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, passing over the pole itself. The easiest time would be in September, when annual sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean is at its lowest extent.
    PNAS is the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
    Click here to enter the Arctic Portal interactive data map.

    The scientists took two classes of vessels and then simulated whether they would be able to steam through the sea ice expected in seven different climate models. In each case they found that the sea routes opened up considerably after 2049.

    “The emergence of a … corridor directly over the north pole indicates that sea ice will become sufficiently thin such that a critical technical threshold is surpassed, and the shortest great circle route thus becomes feasible, for ships with moderate ice-breaking capability,” says the paper.

    “The prospect of common open water ships, which comprise the vast majority of the global fleet, entering the Arctic Ocean in late summer, and even its remote central basin by moderately ice-strengthened vessels heightens the urgency for a mandatory International Maritime Organisation regulatory framework to ensure adequate environmental protections, vessel safety standards, and search-and-rescue capability,” it adds.

    The northern sea route has been shown to save a medium-sized bulk carrier 18 days and 580 tonnes of bunker fuel on a journey between northern Norway and China. Shipowners have said it can save them €180,000-€300,000 on each voyage. A direct route over the pole could save up to 40% more fuel and time.

    Sources

    The Guardian

    PNAS

  • In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process

    In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process

    Arktikum in Rovaniemi

    Call for Papers and Conference announcement – Conference ‘In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process’ 2-4 December 2013, Rovaniemi, Finland

    The City of Rovaniemi and Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland would like to invite scholars and practitioners interested in presenting in the Conference: ”In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process” to submit abstracts to one of the scientific sessions. In addition, the papers should address at least one of the three cross-cutting themes. PhD students are welcome to present a poster referring to one of the sessions and addressing cross-cutting themes.

    The deadline for posters and papers is 5th of May 2013. All participants interested in presenting at the conference shall send their abstracts (max. 250 words) to: rovaniemi.process@ulapland.fi .

    ”In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process: Arctic Cities, Global Processes and Local Realities” is an international conference that will take place in Rovaniemi, northern Finland, 2 – 4 December 2013.

    The conference is organized jointly by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, Finland with the scientific lead Professor Timo Koivurova from the Arctic Centre from the University of Lapland.

    The goal of the conference is to present the latest research scientific knowledge about the global processes as they become local realities. Even if the Conference is scientific in orientation, it aims to bridge science and knowledge into action by bringing top scholars to share their research results, and to organize joint discussion with the leaders of the Arctic Cities. Conference includes special plenary panel on “Arctic Cities in the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process”.

    Click here, to read more about the event. Access the Conference website to register for the event or submit the abstract. 

    HMM

    Source

    In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process

  • Shell puts Alaska plans on ice

    Shell puts Alaska plans on ice

    Oil tanker gets a refill

    Oil giant Shell has put its controversial plans to drill for oil in Alaska on ice, at least for this year. The company had multiple problems with the two drilling platforms to be used for exploration.

    Concerns over safety in the platforms have been raised and the plans critized. Shell pushed hard for permission to explore and in the end got its permission.

    Shell has now sent the two platforms to Asia to be repaired and improved and plans to drill in the Chukchi Sea and Beuforthaven in 2014.

    “We have made progress in Alaska, but this is a long term program that we intend to implement in a safe and thoughtful way,” said Shell president Marvin Odum.

    Shell drilled two test holes last year, according to the company went according to plan.

    “The drilling was perfectly safe, with no serious injuries or impact on the environment,” said in a statement.

    Source

    Offshore

  • More scholarships for High North Studies

    More scholarships for High North Studies

    Port Tromso - Northern Norway

    Students from the US, Canada and Russia have for five years been able to apply for scholarships for studies at seven universities and colleges in Northern Norway. In the program period for 2013-2016 also students from Japan and South Korea will have this opportunity.

    The goal of the Fellowship Programme for Studies in the High North is to contribute to increased academic collaboration and student mobility in the High North.

    The programme is open to the higher education institutions in northern Norway only: Finnmark University College, Harstad University College, Narvik University College, Nesna University College, Sami University College, University of Nordland, University of Tromsø and The University Centre at Svalbard (UNIS).

    These institutions will invite students at partner institutions in Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US to apply for High North Fellowships.

    The programme is mainly targeted at students at Master’s and Bachelor’s level but is also open to PhD students. Bachelor’s and Master’s students must take for-credit courses in Norway, while PhD students can come as research fellows.

    To learn more about the Program, please click here.

    Source

    Study in Norway

  • First China-Nordic Arctic Symposium

    First China-Nordic Arctic Symposium

    The president of Iceland visiting Xue Long, the Snow Dragon, in Iceland

    The first China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium will be held in China this summer. The Polar Research Institute of China hosts the symposium in cooperation with the Icelandic Center for Research.

    Participants will be Chinese and Nordic institutions.

    The conference dates are 4th – 7th of June 2013 and the venue will be in Shanghai.

    The theme of the conference is “China-Nordic Cooperation for Sustainable Development in the Arctic: Human Activity and Environmental Change”.

    Call for abstracts for presentations have been opened. Proposals are welcomed from researchers affiliated With Nordic and Chinese universities, research institutes and/or think tanks. All presentations should focus on Arctic-related issues, Within one ofthe session topics:

    • Session I: Arctic Shipping and Resource Exploration
    • Session II: Research Cooperation on Climate Change
    • Session III.: Arctic Policies and Governance
    • Session IV: Anthropos andthe Arctic in the Anthropocene

    The symposium will be a significant step towards the establishment of the China-Nordic Arctic Research Center, located at PRIC in Shanghai. Following the symposium in Shanghai on 4-6 June, there Will be an organized excursion for the participants on 7 June.

    The deadline for the abstracts (250-400 words) is the 15th of March and should be send to Zhang Xia, Head of Strategic Studies Division at PRIC, Zhangxia@pric.gov.cn and Dr. Thorsteinn Gunnarsson, Head of Division at RANNIS, e-mail: thorsteinng@rannis.is. The abstracts should also follow a short CV.

    Further information is given by Mr. Egill Thor Nielsson, Visiting Scholar at PRIC: egillnielsson@gmail.com.

    Sources

    Rannís

    Polar Research Institute of China

  • Arctic Services formally launched

    Arctic Services formally launched

    Arctic Services area of interest

    The Arctic Services marketing initiative was launched in Akureyri, Iceland on Friday. It is a “cooperative platform between companies and institutions in the north of Iceland to promote the region´s infrastructure and service capabilities, in view of the growing mining and exploration activities in the arctic region and the increased demand for professional services at our latitude.”

    The main objective of Arctic Services is “to promote the high service level and infrastructure available for those involved in exploration, oil search and mining in the Arctic region.”

    Over 30 partners cooperate in the project. They range from the local port and hospital, aviation, banking, wholesalers, contractors, food suppliers, partners from the metal industry, shipping industry and consultancy on Arctic issues in Arctic Portal.

    The Minister for Industries and Innovation, Mr. Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, addressed the reception and launched the programme formally.

    He welcomed the initiative and promised support for the project.

    Click here to read a brochure about the project.

    Source

    Arctic Services website

  • Days of the Arctic in Russia

    Days of the Arctic in Russia

    Ship sailing in the Arctic Ocean

    The Days of the Arctic will be held by Arctic Federal Universities on 25th to 28th of February. The event will promote studies in the Arctic territories, strengthening the status of the university as a base platform for the discussion of problems and prospects of the Russian Arctic, its biodiversity, the history of exploration and development prospects, as well as drawing attention of local media to the Arctic theme.

    “Days of Arctic” will open a large scale exhibition “View of the Arctic”, where the rector of NArFU Elena Kudryashova and director of “National Park “Russian Arctic” R. Ershov will make welcome speeches.

    Unique photos which will be presented at the exhibition, were taken at one of the youngest and largest national park in Russia “Russian Arctic” and in the Federal Reserve “Franz Josef Land”. The photo exhibition will be held in the lobby of NArFU main building on February 25 at 2:00 P.M.

    Furthermore, in the framework of the event “Days of the Arctic” on 25-28 February the participants will be able to attend lectures given by the staff of “National Park “Russian Arctic” and to watch a movie “She, the Arctic” made by M. Menshikova.

    The final event of “Days of Arctic” on February 28 will be an international conference-webinar “Day of Arctic in the Presidential Library” on the platform of NArFU (Arkhangelsk) and the Presidential Library (St. Petersburg). The conference will be attended by the federal universities of Russia as well as the arctic universities of Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Denmark, the United States and Iceland.

  • Polar Law studies open for application

    Polar Law studies open for application

    Students at the University of Akureyri

    The University of Akureyri has now opened an online application form for the 2013-2014 application round in the Polar Law Program.

    The University of Akureyri is offering the following studies in Polar Law:

    • a 120 ECTS Master Programme leading to a M.A. degree
    • a 90 ECTS Master Programme leading to a LL.M. degree
    • a 60 ECTS study at the master level leading to a graduate diploma

    All courses in Polar Law are taught in English.

    Application deadlines for degree seeking students (Polar law):

    1st of April (NON-EU/EEA RESIDENTS)

    5th June (EU/EEA RESIDENTS)

    More information can be found here.

    Source

    UNAK

  • Icelandic Coast Guard just on time

    Icelandic Coast Guard just on time

    Icelandic Coast Guard vessel

    Last night the Icelandic Coast Guard received an emergency call from the oak boat Þistilfjörður that was sailing through waters in the northern part of the country.

    Emergency call was answered by the rescue vessel Þór that had just left the shipyard in Akureyri – northern Iceland, and was just about to conduct a patrolling mission.

    After receiving the emergency call from the crew, the rescue vessel was quick to arrive together with the helicopter that was sent from the capital city of Iceland – Reykjavik.

    According to the Icelandic Coast Guard the weather conditions were very difficult for ship to operate. Beside the difficult weather conditions, the pumps did not work properly what caused the sea slowly flowing into the latter.

    Luckily, the motors did not switch off and after conducting the rescue operation, the boat could sail back to the shore with the Þór’s assistance and supervision.

    It was the first rescue operation of Þór, after the vessel arrived from Chile in late 2011.

    Source

    Mbl.is