Article

Safer shipping over ice


by Drift + Noise GmbH - published on 16 October 2019 96 -

Article and Photos by Dr. Lasse Rabenstein

Background

The reduction of the sea-ice cover and predicted ice-free summers in the Arctic within the 21st century holds a large market potential for the Arctic regions. The Arctic Ocean is a shortcut for international shipping lines on three alternative routes: The North-East Passage, the North-West Passage or the Trans-Arctic Route. Furthermore 20-30% of the remaining oil & gas reserves are estimated to be in the Arctic. Finally, the pristine Arctic environment and the adventurous flair of one the world`s last wildernesses attract more and more expedition cruise operators. However, ice-free does not mean that there is no ice. Ice remains the biggest hazard for every Arctic venture. The Polar Code came into force on January 1, 2017, and makes decent ice information mandatory for every activity in Arctic waters.

A need for forecasts

Every ship transporting goods to, from or through the Arctic wants to find the fastest and safest way through or around the ice. Even service ice breakers save considerable amounts of time and fuel when they choose an easy path through the ice opposed to a straight path. Expedition cruise operators promise their passengers an adventurous but safe journey. That means, cruises ships seek the ice, but never want to get trapped in a dense ice cover. Several sources for ice information exist on the market. Unfortunately, sea-ice drifts several kilometres a day and all information on board is already outdated the moment it is available. All Arctic stakeholders are in an urgent need for ice forecasts. Presently there is no high-resolution ice forecast product available on the market.

The Hinlopen Strait in North East Svalbard is a bottle neck for the expedition cruise industry. High resolution ice forecasts would enhance planning capabilitites of cruise ships in that region enormously.

Predictive Ice Images

The concept PRIIMA (=Predicted Ice Images) was developed within an ESA kick-start activity and will deliver ice forecasts with the resolution of a satellite radar image. The concept is pragmatic in the sense that it establishes a helpful product developed in close collaboration with our test users from the field of cargo shipping, research ice breakers and expedition cruises.

PRIIMA in action for the Pechora Sea, Russia. This example shows an animation of 48 hours of predicted ice drift. It is an animation of a Sentinel-1 radar satellite image with driven with model data from the Copernicus Marine Service. It is a perfect tool for skilled ice navigators, but cannot be blindly taken as the truth in all the details.

At present stage the PRIIMA concept was tested with data provided by the Copernicus programme, namely Sentinel-1 SAR images and CMEMS sea-ice forecasts.

What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Article IcePad, Smart download and view satellite images of sea-ice

by Drift + Noise GmbH - published on 26 July 2019

Download and view satellite images of sea-ice on your mobile device or PC within an intuitive map-based interface.

0

Article Safe through polar waters with NAUTITEC

by VEUS Shipping - published on 10 September 2019

NAUTITEC conducts Basic and Advanced Polar Code Trainings

0

Video Pilot boarding ship - ice bound harbour.

published on 4 July 2019

An innovative technique to board a sailing ship without any loss of time.

0

Article SVITZER STRENGTHENS OPERATIONS IN AFRICA WITH NEW CONTRACT WINS

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 8 June 2020

Recently, Svitzer took an important step towards strengthening its presence in Africa by signing a five-year contract with Nacala Logistics in Mozambique for harbour towage, occasional pilot transfer and potential salvage work in the port of Nacala. At the same time, Svitzer also secured a five-year extension of its current contract with Egyptian LNG assisting the land-based Idku LNG plant with four tugs, two mooring boats and one pilot boat.

0

Video Harbor Pilot from Galveston Bay through the Houston Ship Channel

published on 3 March 2022

A ride along with a harbor pilot as he guided a cargo ship from Galveston Bay through the Houston Ship Channel into a port on Buffalo Bayou.

0

Video Zé Peixe - The extraordinary pilot from Port of Aracaju, Brazil

published on 23 December 2021

Who knwos Zé Peixe? What makes Zé Peixe a rare species is the way he works: he swims to fetch the ship, while his colleagues use a support boat. And when he takes the ship out of the harbour, instead of returning by boat he jumps into the sea.

0

Video Ships Pilotage from Port Providence

published on 24 July 2022

Providence Port Stay| Day and Night Transit|Timelapse and Night Lapse|#captainpopeyethesailor
Shot on GoPro Hero 10 Black
Music - GoPro App

0

Video Australian Capital Territory Section Technical Meeting

published on 14 January 2022

Australian Capital Territory Section Technical Meeting
November 2021, online via Zoom

0

Article Pilot injured during embarking in Taiwan. (Video)

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 3 February 2020

Video: Climbing the pilot ladder, the pilot is hit by Pilot Boat.

0