Overview
Improved efficiency in ship routing is essential to develop efficient ship transport routes in ice-covered waters. Northern Sea Routes, like those linking Europe with rich oil and gas areas in Siberia through the Barents and Kara seas, the Baltic Sea navigation and to Greenland, could be developed further if efficient ship transport in ice covered waters is demonstrated. The safety and efficiency of shipping operations as well as environmental impacts are major issues that have to be addressed in order to enable increased sea transport and economic activity. Improved efficiency in ship routing and information to support navigation in ice-covered waters is one of the key elements to develop these routes. Considerable efforts have been made to enhance maritime infrastructure and services, but surveillance and information tools on ice routing have yet to match this standard.
ICE ROUTES aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of an ice routing tool that would provide safer and more efficient ship transport in ice-infested sea regions.
The main objectives of ICE ROUTES were to:
- generate high resolution ice information for ship routing with operational quality at a target accuracy of 90% for classification of satellite images into navigationally significant categories relevant to operational activities;
- create a computer-based support system that helps optimise shipping routes through sea ice, taking into account vessels' characteristics, the ice environment and cost and time efficiency in operation;
- conduct a pilot project using the developed computer modelling technique with the aim of evaluating the chosen concept in pre-operational conditions, especially focusing on gaining independent data-sets, testing the production of ice charts and forecasting optimised routes; testing was to be conducted in Siberian waters using two Russian vessels;
- assess the effects of ship route modelling with respect to the economic viability of the Northern Sea Route and operational issues for the northern Barents Sea, recommendations for further action on the EU policy level were to be formulated.
Funding
Results
- generate high resolution ice information for ship routing with operational quality at a target accuracy of 90% for classification of satellite images into navigationally significant categories relevant to operational activities;
- create a computer-based support system that helps optimise shipping routes through sea ice, taking into account vessels' characteristics, the ice environment and cost and time efficiency in operation;
- conduct a pilot project using the developed computer modelling technique with the aim of evaluating the chosen concept in pre-operational conditions, especially focusing on gaining independent data-sets, testing the production of ice charts and forecasting optimised routes; testing was to be conducted in Siberian waters using two Russian vessels;
- assess the effects of ship route modelling with respect to the economic viability of the Northern Sea Route and operational issues for the northern Barents Sea, recommendations for further action on the EU policy level were to be formulated.
Policy implications
The study has identified a feasible approach for short-term operational use that will build on a combination of computer-based, automatically generated ice information and manual interpretation of results by skilled experts. All recommendations aim at further advancing ship route modelling techniques - taking into account the foreseen International Polar Code of Navigation. They provide key elements to ensure a consistent strategy for improving safety, efficiency and overall capability of maritime navigation in Arctic waters, such as between Europe and rich oil and gas areas in Siberia.