Vessel Operations in the Arctic, 2015–2017

Abstract

The Arctic is among the most rapidly-changing regions on Earth. Diminishing levels of sea-ice has increased opportunities for maritime activities in historically inaccessible areas such as the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage. Degradation of Arctic marine ecosystems may accompany expanding vessel operations through introduced underwater noise, potential for large oil spills, among other things; and may compound stressors already effecting biological populations due to climate change. Assessments are needed to track changes in vessel traffic patterns and associated environmental impacts. We analyzed Arctic-wide vessel Automatic Identification System data 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017 to quantify the amount and spatial distribution of vessel operations, assess possible changes in these operations, and establish a baseline for future monitoring. Nearly 400,000 vessel transits were analyzed. Number of trips, hours of operation, and amount of sea surface exposed to vessel traffic were used to compare operations between 14 delineated waterways. Operations were extensive and diverse: an average of 132,828 trips were made annually by over 5,000 different vessels. Transits were made in all areas studied and all months of the year. Maritime activities were intensive in some areas, but ice-limited in others. Amount of sea surface exposed to vessel traffic exceeded 70% in all but three areas. Bulk carriers, cargo ships, passenger/cruise ships, research survey ships, and vessels supporting oil/gas-related activities were represented. However, fishing vessels, primarily in the Barents, Bering, and Norwegian Seas, surpassed operations of all other vessel types and comprised about one-half of all voyages each year. We observed no overt increasing or decreasing trends in vessel traffic volume in our limited study period. Instead, inter-year variation was evident. While the number of unique vessels and transits increased year-to-year, hours of operation declined in the same period. Abundance/distribution of fisheries resources, economic feasibility of Arctic marine travel as weighed against inherent risks, and other factors likely accounted for inter-year variation in regional activity levels. Measures have been established to protect Arctic marine ecosystems but may need strengthening to address potential ecosystem threats from existing and growing commercial and industrial activities in the region.

Sea ice variability and maritime activity around Svalbard in the period 2012–2019

“…1 ), December 2018 37 ). Increased activity and expanding operational seasons raise concerns for environmental protection and human safety, and pushes the limits of SAR infrastructure in place 38 . In its recent Svalbard strategy 10 , the Norwegian government emphasized the need to assess preparedness and safety challenges arising from increased shipping activity in the Arctic, and currently investments are made to improve the material infrastructure.…”

Co-occurrence of gray whales and vessel traffic in the North Pacific Ocean

“…2d,h). The Unimak Pass in the Aleutian Islands chain serves as a bottleneck for many vessels using intercontinental routes (Schwehr & McGillivary 2007) and therefore it is also an area of high risk to migrating gray whales (Braham 1984, Silber & Adams 2019.…”

“…These, too, represent avenues of high risk, primarily during the north-and southbound migration periods and to a lesser or minimal extent during the feeding and wintering periods. Thousands of ships make international passages along these routes each year (Burns & Poe 2014, Silber & Adams 2019.…”

Self- and Inter-Crossover Points of Jasons’ Missions as New Essential Add-on of Satellite Altimetry in the Sub-Arctic Seas and the Southern Ocean

“…At this time of the year, the main ports of Greenland are in operation: Paamiut, Nuuk and Sisimiut. In the winter months, more than 50% of the water area is covered with ice, while in the warm season, more than 90% of the water area is ice-free [38]. More than 90% of the water area of the Davis Strait is used for navigation: from 50 to 70 large-tonnage vessels are constantly in the waters of the strait, and the total number of vessels passing through the strait ranges in different years from 400 to 700.…”

“…More than 90% of the water area of the Davis Strait is used for navigation: from 50 to 70 large-tonnage vessels are constantly in the waters of the strait, and the total number of vessels passing through the strait ranges in different years from 400 to 700. The main types of vessels are fishing, cargo and passenger, including coastal ferries off the Greenland coast, tourist liners, and tankers [38,39].…”