Dimitrios DalaklisAssociate Professor (Safety and Security)

LCDR (USCG) Megan L. Drewniak

The Arctic Region:

Mapping the Current State of Icebreakers’ Availability

• Introduction & brief discussion of the Arctic’s ice

coverage trend;

• Challenges of operating in Polar waters;

• Current numbers of “Ice-Breakers”;

• Fuelling options: is “Nuclear” the way forward?

• Questions & Answers section…

Outline

Defining the Arctic

• The term "arctic" comes from the Greek word ἀρκτικός (arktikos: "near the Bear, northern"); it is a product of the word ἄρκτος (arktos: "bear").

• The name refers either to the constellation Ursa Major, the "Great Bear", which is prominent in the northern portion of the celestial sphere, or to

the constellation Ursa Minor, the "Little Bear", which contains Polaris, the Pole star, also known as the North Star.

• The position of the Arctic Circle is not fixed; as of 28 August 2017, it runs 66°33′46.8″ north of the Equator.

Ice-coverage trend is downwards!

http://nsidc.org/

Reduction of ice-coverage is evident!

http://nsidc.org/

Latest developments in the Arctic• Maritime routes that were previously covered with

ice-pacts are becoming available for shipping…

• Rather limited access/traffic in the Arctic Ocean;

• But, navigation season is predicted to increase!

(70 125 days by 2050 160 days by 2100)

• On going debate in relation to the extraction of the

available natural resources in the wider region!

Legal Claims?

Geopolitical Tensions?? (Clear Indicator: Military Presence & Exercises)

“Race” of Ice-Breaker’s Fleets (Upgrades)???

Shipping

Tourism

Energy Recourses

Minerals

Fisheries

Decline of Ice

Coverage

Recent Arctic Developments…

“Alternative" shipping routes…

Predictions for the Future?

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/03/science/earth/arctic-shipping.html?_r=0

Main Maritime Routes…

Operating in Polar Waters

Operating in Polar Waters

Operating in Polar Waters

Why is there a need for ice-breakers?

The term “Ice-Breaker”An icebreaker is a special-purpose vessel.

It is designed to move and navigate through ice-

covered waters; its main purpose is to provide

safe waterways for other ships.

• For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it

requires three traits that most normal ships lack: o a strengthened hull,

o an ice-clearing shape,

o the power to push through sea ice.

The term “Ice-Breaker”• Clear paths by pushing straight into ice pockets;

• An icebreaker can also drive its bow onto the ice to break it

under the weight of the ship.

o the build-up of broken ice in front of the vessel can slow it down

much more than the breaking of the ice itself.

o icebreakers have a specially designed hull to direct the broken ice

around or under the vessel. The external components of the ship's

propulsion system (propellers, shafts, etc.) are at even greater risk

of damage than the vessel's hull, therefore the overall ability of an

icebreaker to propel itself onto the ice, break it, and then clear the

debris from its path successfully is essential for its safety…

Escort/Convoy Ops, SAR and …

Remember this?

Remember this?

Trends/Current State of Ice-Breakers?

Drewniak M., Dalaklis D., Kitada M., Ölçer A., Ballini F., “Geopolitical Considerations of Shipping Operations in the Arctic: Mapping the Current

State of Icebreakers and Identifying Future Needs”, IAME 2017 Conference, Kyoto-Japan.

Status of the United States Fleet• The current condition of United States’ (U.S.)

icebreakers and this country’s ability to protect the

Arctic environment, regulate activity, and respond to

crises is surprisingly very limited…

• During loftier times, the U.S. fleet possessed eight

icebreakers, but that number has dwindled to just

two icebreakers over years of neglect and lack of

attention.

• Currently, the country has only two polar

icebreakers: one heavy (the Polar Star) and one

medium (the Healy).

Status of the Canadian Fleet• Canada is troubled by a looming shortage of

vessels and a growing threat of mechanical failures

as a result of aging icebreakers that are well past

their expected life;

• The country possesses a total of six heavy and

medium icebreakers (one icebreaker was taken out

of service in November 2016 because of an

undisclosed engine casualty).

Status of the Canadian Fleet• The Canadian Coast Guard’s most capable

icebreaker, the Louis S. St-Laurent was credited

with the escort of the first bulk carrier to transit the

NWP, the Danish-owned Nordic Orion rather

recently, in September 2013.

• This transit highlighted the importance of escort

ships to take advantage of Arctic opportunities for

maritime transport. However, the Louis S. St-

Laurent is a 45-year old vessel (therefore a new

icebreaker, John G. Diefenbaker, will replace this

aging vessel!)

Status of the Russian Fleet• Russia is far better prepared than any other country

to capitalize on the plethora of untapped resources

in the Arctic region.

• While the United States and Canada are still

wandering about how to boost their capabilities,

Russia has taken aggressive steps and invested a

significant amount of money in building up the

world’s largest icebreaker fleet. They have utilized

shipyards and facilities in Germany and Finland to

generate a fleet of approximately 40 state-owned

ice-capable ships including six nuclear-powered!

“Tools” of Arctic Operations…

Nuclear Propulsion…

Drewniak M., Dalaklis D., Kitada M., Ölçer A., Ballini F., “Geopolitical Considerations of Shipping Operations in the Arctic: Mapping the Current

State of Icebreakers and Identifying Future Needs”, IAME 2017 Conference, Kyoto-Japan.

• The Finnish Transport Agency took delivery on

the 28th of September 2016 of the I/B Polaris,

an icebreaker capable of burning LNG as fuel

from Arctech Helsinki Shipyard!

LNG vessels are already operating…

This vessel is the most powerful icebreaker ever to fly the Finnish flag and the first icebreaker in the world to feature

environmentally friendly dual-fuel engines capable of using both low-sulfur marine diesel oil (LSMDO) and liquefied

natural gas (LNG).

• Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Managing Director

Esko Mustamäki confirmed that the Polaris can

operate in all ice conditions in the Baltic Sea

and use in all circumstances either gas or diesel

oil as fuel.

• “We are proud we had this opportunity to build the vessel that

will serve the Finnish winter navigation in coming decades.”

• The 110m x 24.4m Polaris is designed to serve

for at least 50 years in icebreaking, oil recovery

and sea rescue operations…

LNG vessels are already operating…

• A new icebreaker research vessel, Kronprins

Haakon, scheduled for delivery in 2017:oPC 3 class icebreaker: Year-round operation in ice-

covered waters

o100 metres long and 21 metres broad

oCost: NOK 1.4 billion

What about Norway?

http://www.npolar.no/en/about-us/stations-vessels/kronprins-haakon/

What about Norway?

https://www.fincantieri.com/en/products-and-services/naval-vessels/polar-research-vessel/

Summary & Conclusion

• The “High North” is a place defined by constant

change & uncertainty

• This area has never before been integrated into

regular shipping routes due to very harsh and

unpredictable environmental environments

• Decline of ice-coverage has triggered interest

towards toward the establishment of “Arctic liner

shipping”

• Ice-breakers will be increasingly needed to smash

through sea ice, open routes, or assist trapped

vessels.

“Energy Resources" Impact?

Summary & Conclusion• Christophe de Margerie, the world’s first ice-

breaking LNG tanker, has become the first vessel

to dock at Yamal LNG’s terminal at Sabetta Port in

Russia; more vessels are on the way…

• Is this a “new mode” of operations?The specifications of Christophe de Margerie make her a unique vessel. She was assigned an Arc7 ice class, the highest ice class amongst

existing merchant vessels. The vessel is capable of sailing independently through ice up to 2.1 metre thick. This vessel can sail along the Northern

Sea Route westward from Sabetta all-the-year-round and eastward for six months of the year (from July to December).

Previously, the summer navigation window on the Northern Sea Route was limited to only four months with ice-breaker support.

Summary & Conclusion

• Maritime transport, resource extraction and energy

recourses production, fishing, tourism etc. point

towards more traffic in the Arctic Region;

• The issue of harsh conditions and increased

dangers is still part of the equation!

• “Current” emergency response capabilities?

• Need for more infrastructure support, as well as

“tailor-made” training (realistic exercises & drills to

include mass rescue operations, even consider

how to involve indigenous populations to affect a

timely & coordinated response)…

World Maritime UniversityA Specialized UN Institution in Sweden

WMU's mission is to be the World Centre of

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promoting sustainable development.

Dimitrios DalaklisAssociate Professor (Safety and Security)

LCDR (USCG) Megan L. Drewniak

The Arctic Region:

Mapping the Current State of Icebreakers’ Availability

Postgraduate Diploma (Distance

Learning) in Maritime Safety & Security