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Communication and Support to Navigation on Connecting Sea Routes 

(by Karl Magnus Eger)

 

The Northern Pacific Corridor has limited capacity when it comes to SAR services1 . For instance, the United States has no aids to navigation along the northern slope of Alaska (North of Kotzbue Sound), to support the NPC. Furthermore, there are only a few visual aids to navigation in the Bering Sea region, as well as limited capabilities to respond to an incident for lifesaving. Weather and oceanographic observations necessary to support SAR operations are also minimal. The current U.S. short range aids to navigation in the Arctic extends a short distance north of the Bering Strait where the largest zinc mine in the world (Cominco’s Red Dog mine) near Kivalina receives ore carriers. North of the Aleutians along the coast of the Bering Sea, the U.S. has some floating and fixed aids to navigation near the Pribilof Islands and Bristol Bay for tug, barge and fishing vessel traffic. In the Aleutian chain, there are several areas where navigational aids are maintained for local traffic, as well as for the high volume shipping traffic along the North Pacific Great Circle Route between North America and eastern Asia. However, the icebreaker capacity is currently limited. The U.S has three icebreakers, but not all of them are available. The Polar Star is currently out of service as it undergoes repairs. A smaller icebreaker, the Healy, is primarily used to aid in scientific research. That leaves one ship operational right now as icebreaker2 .

On the other hand, Denmark has limited SAR capacity on the coast of Greenland. Nonetheless, Denmark has a permanent system of radio communication and radar beacons along the west coast of Greenland, supporting the Arctic Bridge in the south. In addition, a system of coastal fixed aids3 . Furthermore, there is a huge demand for SAR services along the western coast of Greenland.

In 2007, a Vessel Traffic Service for the coast of northern Norway was established in Vardø, operated by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The service is designed to monitor and guide vessels, to promote safe and efficient navigation, and to protect the marine environment in the Barents Sea, and along the Norwegian coast, along the Northern Maritime Corridor (NMC3 ), Norway maintains aids to navigation along its entire coast supporting parts of the NMC, and at Svalbard along the coast and in fjords. In addition, there are a number of fixed and floating aids to navigation in Svalbard internal waters. It is expected that the requirement for aids to navigation in the Svalbard area will increase based on analyses of both the changing traffic patterns and the utilization of better risk analysis methodology. This may partly involve SAR support for any future marine traffic through the Fram Corridor.

Iceland maintains a number of fixed and floating aids to navigation. There are also a DGPS system and Radio beacons, in addition to a permanent system of radio communication for radio monitoring of its fishing fleet. The facilities include a DGPS system and Radio beacons, in addition to a permanent system of radio communication for radio monitoring of its fishing fleet. Like Norway, Iceland has an advanced Automatic Identification System along its coast which covers the entire coastline. The maritime radio and satellite system has currently been renewed. The traffic monitoring is carried out by the Maritime Traffic Service in Reykjavik operated by the Icelandic Coast Guard. These systems will potentially support the Arctic Bridge in the South and the western leg of the NMC.

Bibliography


  •  1. AMSA (2008), Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment, Report Draft, 14 November 2008
  •  2. Arctic Focus: http://arcticfocus.com/2009/07/13/coast-guard-needs-more-icebreakers-for-arctic/
  •  3. AMSA (2009), Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment, Report, PAME, Arctic Council, Terragraphica, Anchorage, April 2009

Karl Magnus Eger, 2010, Communication and Support to Navigation on Connecting Sea Routes, CHNL.©