Northwest Passage

The melting ice in the Arctic has allowed for the potential navigation during the summer months, of two shipping routes formerly impassable; the Northwest Passage, which runs through northern Canada and the Northern Sea route, north of the Russian mainland. (Anderson, A., 2009). The potential use of these routes would mean that goods would no longer have to travel through the Suez or Panama canals, shortening the distance by thousands of miles. (Anderson 2009). In fact, it is estimated that using the Northwest Passage would save two weeks of travel time vs. the Panama Canal

The International Maritime Organization, has written what is known as the Polar Code, making it mandatory under various international conventions for ships operating in the Arctic to obtain a Polar Ship Certificate. However, I am uncertain how this organization intends to ensure compliance with its requirements. I believe they are requiring all vessels to be equipped with some type of device so they can be monitored via satellite. (IMO, 2018) …show more content…
Responders must travel great distances just to reach spills in this remote area. Additionally, there are few ships that possess the appropriate clean up equipment that can work in the harsh Arctic conditions.
A ship must contend with icebergs, low visibility and extreme cold, making cleanup efforts very difficult. However, the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have begun conducting scientific expeditions to demonstrate and evaluate tools, technologies, and techniques for dealing with Arctic oil spills. (NOAA,