Shipping activities in Arctic areas are certain to increase in the years to come and, as the Arctic is a challenging and diverse environment, knowing how to manage its risks will be crucial.
To understand the shipping risks, DNV GL examined the case of a cruise ship sailing off the coast of Greenland and a bulk carrier transiting the Northern Sea Route. The study showed that, in the cruise ship scenario, the overall risk is nearly thirty per cent higher than elsewhere, largely due to the survival challenges faced by the people on board. The risk to the bulk carrier was almost fifteen per cent higher because of the danger of collision with ice.
The Next Risk Frontier
A report recently released by DNV GL, The Arctic – The Next Risk Frontier, proposes a number of design concepts to reduce risk. For cruise ships, enhanced damage stability, a collision-resistant hull and lifeboats better suited to the Arctic are all measures aimed at improving survivability in the case of an accident. For bulk carriers, hovercraft lifeboats enabling mobility over both water and ice and checks on the ice strengthening to ensure that it matches the actual ice conditions are important measures to manage the risks.
DNV GL’s research indicates that it is advisable to adopt a stepwise approach, which sees the least challenging locations developed before the harshest ones. This way, the technology and infrastructure have time to develop and risks can be kept at a level comparable to those in other parts of the world.
