In March 2014, Patrick Borbey, Chair of the Arctic Council’s Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) spoke in London at a Conference on Sustainable Arctic Shipping and Marine Operations.
The conference was organized and supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, the Embassy of Sweden in London and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Mr. Borbey spoke about associated issues of marine safety, infrastructure, and tourism, including the work of Arctic Council Working Group PAME on the Arctic Marine Tourism project. He emphasized the collaborative work of the Arctic states, not only carried out within the Arctic Council, but also within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the Polar Code.
On Canada’s experience with Arctic shipping Mr. Borbey said: “Many people talk about shipping through the Northwest Passage or the Northern Sea Route, but in Canada there hasn’t been a huge amount of experience in that area. Of the shipping that has taken place, some has been quite symbolic, like the journey of the Manhattan in 1969. Even in that instance, the Manhattan – which was refitted to be an icebreaking tanker – ran into difficulties along the way and was broken out by a small Canadian icebreaker.“
“Up until now, most Arctic shipping has involved icebreakers, government vessels, research vessels, or destinational shipping. Areas of new growth are one place for us to focus, for now. For example, cruise ships are now going into areas where they have not been before, and we need to ensure that that is done safely, with regard for passengers and crew, the environment and local communities. On transit shipping, I believe this is going to be limited over the next few years; we will need to focus on destinational shipping instead.“
“Looking at it from a Canadian perspective rather than from the Arctic Council, we have an interest in ensuring that the high standards that apply in the Canadian Arctic are reflected in the new polar code. Our standards include several important aspects that help us minimize the risk of incidents.“
On collaborative work with other Arctic states towards sustainable shipping Mr. Borbey said: “We’re working hard to harmonize our positions where possible for our work within the IMO. That’s a good example of how the Arctic Council can be effective outside the boundaries of the Council itself. The cruise ship guidelines coming from PAME will also help to fill a vacuum that exists right now. Those will be really important; you know, I was on a cruise ship with students this summer myself, and the closest icebreaker to us was two days’ sail away, if there had been an incident. The captain and his crew were well-trained in that case, but with 200 people on board, you want to make really sure you know what you’re doing. Even if you have a set plan, you need to be able to be flexible and adaptable.“
“We are having our first workshop on sustainable cruise ship operations in Ottawa this spring, and that’s important because the industry is evolving. The industry also wants to help fill these infrastructure gaps. I was talking with one gentleman who heads an Alaska-based cruise ship operator, and he said to me that he’d be happy to carry charting/bathymetry equipment on their boats, and provide the data back to the government, to help with charting. The key gaps that exist don’t need to be addressed by governments alone; they can also be tackled in collaboration with people who are already operating – hopefully, operating safely – in the region.” Mr. Borbey added.
Source: Arctic Council
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