Arctic Search and Rescue: A Case Study for Understanding Issues Related to Training and Human Factors When Working in the North

International Disaster Risk Reduction and Response Law Made in the Arctic

“…Actually, the human-related aspects of the search and rescue operations need to 'be addressed and planned for due to the very specific nature of the challenges that require a customized SAR Arctic response [and still, e]ffective […] rescue protocols, and equipment are currently lacking for Arctic operations' . 99 The SAR Agreement already includes, as briefly outlined, some aspects addressing human safety, taking into account the safety of the persons in distress100 and also of the personnel tasked with search and rescue operations -especially putting an emphasis on the need for sharing of information among the parties on the 'search and rescue facilities' and of any other 'information useful for training search and rescue personnel'thus -albeit implicitly -recognising the need to consider every aspect of human safety in search and rescue operations in the Arctic. 101 Overall, the SAR Agreement provides a sound base for further cooperation and coordination among Arctic states on search and rescue operations; it has also opened the way to enhance cooperation among Arctic states on other safety issues, like marine oil pollution, as outlined in the next paragraph.102…”

Development of an Augmented Reality Concept for Icebreaker Assistance and Convoy Operations

“…However, UIs for ships' bridges should be designed with an emphasis on the situation in which they will be used [4]. For most designers and researchers, the Arctic maritime context is an unfamiliar setting with hard-to-reach users [34] and a demanding context to access and work in overtime [9]. In order to continuously engage with this context after the initial field studies, our process contained a continuation of the previous fieldwork onboard icebreakers within a lab setting by using what we call VRROS (Figure 2) [27].…”

“…However, accurate sensor data are not enough-available data need to be presented in a way that supports mariners efficiently during demanding conditions and stressful operations. Mistakes can have major consequences, and help is often out of reach in the high north [9]. Therefore, ship bridges sailing in Arctic waters should be equipped with systems that support navigation and operations in ice.…”

Using Operational Scenarios in a Virtual Reality Enhanced Design Process

“…This includes long hours, isolated work, inconsistent connectivity to land-based resources and high-stress tasks. Maritime operations in Arctic regions further exacerbate these conditions and introduce unique safety challenges for ships' navigation teams including a lack of accurate navigational information, extreme weather conditions, inherent technology limitations, heavy reliance on Arctic-specific knowledge, and longer waiting times for rescue services [1,2]. Traffic in the northernmost shipping routes is expected to continue increasing as glacial ice melts, opening new routes that were previously not accessible [3].…”