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January 2011 www.sname.org/sname/mt surplus of natural resources in the Arctic. How to reach and export them to the mar- ket are what drives activities in the region. e indigenous people and communi- ties living in the north for thousands of years have done so without understanding that they are living in one of the richest areas in the world. We have brought? civilization to these regions and also partially destroyed something unique. We must think care- fully about what we want and about what the indigenous people in the area need. is is a global issue, and is valid everywhere, not just in the Arctic. The Northwest Passage. Following the discovery of oil in Alaska, hydrocarbons were found in the Beaufort Sea and in the $ B O B E J B O " S D U J D " S D I J Q F M B H P . J O F S B M T also came into the picture and the founda- tion was thus laid for marine transportation. Today, transport activities are controlled by dividing the area into ice regimes, and each regime has limitations for the annual navigation time period based on the ice class of a given vessel. Also, an ice numeral is used to tie together the capability of the vessel and prevailing seasonal conditions. e rst purpose-built vessel to operate J O U I F $ B O B E J B O / P S U I X B T U I F E X U bulk carrier Arctic , built in 1975. On deliv- ery, the vessel generated 14,700 hp. and had icebreaking capability of 1.6 m of solid-level ice. Since that time, Arctic has successfully D B S S J F E Q S P E V D U T J O B O E P V U P G U I F $ B O B E J B O Eastern Arctic. Simultaneously, there has been seasonal tra c to the area for deliver- ing supplies. e latest new purpose-built transport vessel for tra c in the Northwest 1 B T T B H F J T Umiak I of Fednav Ltd. Umiak I is a 30,000 hp. and 31,500 dwt. bulk carrier. In addition, following the development that has taken place in the Baltic, a number of higher ice-class vessels have been taken into T F S W J D F J O U I F $ B O B E J B O O P S U I But for all of this activity, there has yet to be any transport through the Northwest 1 B T T B H F 5 I F S P V U F J T J D F G S F F G P S P O M Z B short period, and to be able to navigate through it you must be prepared to wait, as one never knows if the ice will actu- ally disappear. We are still quite a ways from the dream coming true; however, the icebreaking capability that can be achieved is quite remarkable compared to what could be done 40 years ago. Developing traffic in the Northwest 1 B T T B H F I B T O F W F S C F F O B O J N Q P S U B O U J T T V F G P S F J U I F S U I F 6 4 P S $ B O B E B 5 Z Q J D B M M Z U I F S F have not been enough icebreakers to help the tra c. When there are no icebreakers, there are no merchant vessels. is is a cir- cle with no end. By comparison, in Finland it was decided in 1970 that all the major ports would be kept open year-round, and an ice- breaker eet of 8 to 10 vessels was generated to assist the tra c. is in turn generated a eet of merchant vessels with ice class. e tra c now ows smoothly and industry has been able to keep working in the north. One of the most recent initiatives is the Ba nland Iron Mines project, which trans- ports some 13 million tons of rich iron ore annually to the market with dedicated, independently-operated ore carriers of 170,000 dwt. The project recently slowed down for economic reasons. After oil was discovered in Alaska, activ- ity moved towards the east and exploration started in the eastern Beaufort Sea and B S P V O E U I F $ B O B E J B O " S D U J D * T M B O E T * O U I F Beaufort Sea, several companies were drill- ing for oil and the main supply base was in Tuktoyaktuk. The transport duties were mainly local, with the exception of get- ting the larger volumes on barges around " M B T L B B O E E P X O U I F . D , F O [ J F S J W F S G S P N the south. Here the navigation window was quite short. During the winter, a lot of equip- ment had to be transported over ground. During the 1970s and 80s, there were a number of gas-induced trans- port studies to explore the possibility of transporting liquefied natural gas from the islands. There were plans for large, 100,000 hp. gas carriers and gigantic ice- breakers generating 100,000 to 150,000 I Q 5 I F T F J O J U J B U J W F T X F S F D B M M F E i 1 P M B S ( B T 1 S P K F D U u B O E i " S D U J D 1 J M P U 1 S P K F D U u * O U I F T U I F $ B O B E J B O H P W F S O N F O U was close to building a large arctic ice- breaker, Polar 8 , but activities in that period slowed as the price of oil sunk. A lot was learned during the exploration in the Beaufort Sea. Various kinds of drill- ing platforms were created and a great deal of experience was gained by building a eet of supply vessels to work in the harsh multi- year ice conditions. e vessels were to chop big ice into pieces and the propellers were protected from ice contact by the use of noz- zles. However, this experinece was never put forward. Only now, as a new era is starting, is this prior experience being considered again; however, due to climate change, the Designed by Aker Arctic Technology, 70,000 dwt. tankers load oil from production platforms and take it to market as part of the Prirazlomnoye oil export initiative. lus of natural resources in achandexportth The Northwest Passage. Following and i major ound, 10 ves he tra eet of e emes I Fthe Dur d to Duri wereh th olu X Oerert. D had Duhmaalarg B Outhave limeears anding that they are living in one of the richest areas in the world. We have brou ght? civilization to these regions and also partially destroyed somethin g unique. We must think care- fully about what we want and about what the indigenous people in the area need. is is lobalissue,andisvalidevery breaking capability th eved is quite remarkable what could be done 40 yea Developing traffic in 1 B T T B H F I B T O F W F S C F F O B G P S F J U I F S U I F 6 4 P S $ B O have not been enou the tra c. When there are no m cle with n was is is a global issue, and is valid everywhere, not just in the Arctic .eNorthwestPassage Follo hat can be le compared ears ago. n the Northwest B O J N Q P S U B O U J T T V B O B E B 5 Z Q J D B M M Z U I ough icebreakers to en there are no iceb o merchant vessels. th no end. By compariso was decided in 1970 that would be kept open breaker eet of to assist mtito the s in the region. le and communi- for thousands of years so without understandin iift the iceb achiev to w wit er v E P X H V F I F S F to help ebreakers . is is a rison, in F hat all the pen year- et of 8 to assist the eting " M B T the sou quite meuth te shor rs, s a cir- n Finlan the ma ear-roun 8 to 10 v st the tra eet Dwland majo round 0ve wTheNorthwestPassage. Following t V F U I F toebreakers, s. is is a cir- rison, in Finland that all the maj pen year-roun eet of 8 to 10 ve assist the tra eetof tihaDuweyears standing vinginoneofthe breve o wh is is global issue, and is valid everyw thleean t B O B Ooug hen o mith no was ouite e indige s livin