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Maritime Accidents
range in Artic region
UNH/NOAA Report : Maritime Accidents
range in Artic region
Jan 29, 2009
The existing infrastructure
for responding to maritime accidents in the Arctic is limited
and more needs to be done to enhance emergency response capacity
as Arctic sea ice decline and ship traffic in the region increases,
according to new report released today by the University of
New Hampshire and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The report details findings from a panel of experts and decision-makers
from Arctic nation governments, industry and indigenous communities
convened by the Coastal Response Research Center, a UNH-NOAA
partnership housed at the university. The panel, which included
representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Arctic
Research Commission, assessed the potential threat of maritime
accidents in the Arctic and the ability of nations in the
region to respond effectively to vessels in distress, oil
spills and other situations.
 “The
reduction of polar sea ice and the increasing worldwide demand
for energy will likely result in a dramatic increase in the
number of vessels that travel Arctic waters,” said Nancy
Kinner, UNH co-director of the CRRC and a professor of civil
and environmental engineering. “As vessel traffic increases,
disaster scenarios are going to become more of a reality.”
The report’s
key recommendations include:
• Strengthening multinational plans and agreements for
all types of responses
• Improving logistical support capabilities for disaster
responders
• Updating weather data and navigational charts for
the Arctic
• Studying the behavior of oil in cold water and improving
technologies for spill response in Arctic conditions
• Designating potential ports in the Arctic where damaged
vessels can be taken to safeguard them against the Arctic’s
harsh environmental conditions and reduce the risk of harm
to the environment
The report’s findings and recommendations are based
on the panel’s examination of five potential emergency
response scenarios: a grounded cruise ship whose 2,000 passengers
and crew must abandon the vessel; an ice-trapped and damaged
ore carrier; an explosion on a fixed drilling rig north of
Alaska; a collision between a tanker and fishing vessel that
results in a large oil spill; and the grounding of a tug towing
a supplies barge in an environmentally sensitive area near
the Bering Strait.
"Now is the time to prepare for maritime accidents and
potential spills in the Arctic," said Amy Merten, NOAA
co-director of the CRRC. "This report clearly indicates
that international cooperation and adequate resources are
key to saving lives and protecting this special region."
The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class
public research university with the feel of a New England
liberal arts college. A land, sea and space-grant university,
UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling
11,800 undergraduate and 2,400 graduate students.
NOAA understands
and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the
depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves
and manages our coastal and marine resources.
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