ARCDEV - Arctic Demonstration and Exploratory Voyage
Overview
Background & policy context:
The test voyage to the Russian Arctic of the Finnish products tanker Uikku commenced on Saturday 25 April 1998 in Murmansk. The 16,000 dwt tanker will sail the North-East Passage to the Ob river estuary, a distance of some 1,000 miles or 1,800 kilometres. The convoy is headed by a Russian ice breaker and a third vessel, an exploratory ice breaker, provides the facilities for 70 researchers from different countries. Ice conditions in the North-East Passage have not been this severe for 30 years. Uikku will carry a cargo of gas condensate from Ob to Europe, where the cargo is expected to arrive at the end of May. Owned by Finland's Neste Shipping and Kvaerner Masa-Yards' joint venture company Nemarc, Uikku already navigated the entire North-East Passage in spring 1997, the first western vessel to do so since the expedition by Nordensklöld in 1878.
Objectives:
The Uikku's voyage will put to the test the latest Arctic shipping technology, ranging from vessel design and construction to transport logistics and information technology, along with the latest results of EU research programmes. The primary objective is to demonstrate a viable year-round short sea shipping link to the Arctic region, an additional objective is to identify areas where further research and development efforts are required.
Methodology:
The project has strong Finnish involvement and benefits from Neste Shipping's experience with ice shipping in the Arctic and Greenland.
Great attention will be paid to Uikku's performance in carrying gas condensate cargo under very severe ice conditions over a long distance. Of particular interest will be the tanker's response to ice impacts e.g. over 60 sensors are deployed in the ship's hull measuring continuously iceloads and other extreme environmental impacts, and the performance of specific navigation and other high-tech information systems.
The 70 researchers will undertake first-hand observations and evaluations of one of the world's most accomplished ice vessels in a real-life, commercial scenario.
Arcdev's total costs are 6.7 million ECU. Western and Russian partners account for 5.2 million ECU and 1.5 million ECU, respectively. The European Commission is contributing 960,000 ECU to the costs of western co-venturers, and 50% (750,000 ECU) to the Russian partners' costs.
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