A 5-day Arctic Voyage to assess arctic navigation
IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu departed on 15 August for a 5-day Arctic sea voyage as part of a fact-finding mission to the region.
The trip comes against a background of increasing interest within the global shipping community in utilizing the Northern Sea Route and other northern passages, as Arctic sea ice recedes and the navigation season becomes longer.
The voyage, would give Mr. Sekimizu an opportunity to assess the logistics and supplies required to support Arctic navigation, the need for special qualifications for ships’ officers operating in the region and for the provision of adequate ice-breaking capability.
Find here below some of the IMO’s secretary notes of the arctic voyage from his Blog from IMO Secretary-General.
Northern Sea Route: Day 1, 15 August 2013
“I am settling down in my cabin aboard the Russian icebreaker50 Let Pobedyafter day one of my mission to the Northern Sea Route.
We left Moscow last night, departing the domestic airport at 23:15 and arriving at Norilsk around 03:30 this morning. I and Mr Melenas, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to IMO, were accompanied by Deputy Transport Minister Olersky and Viacheslav Ruksha, the Director General of Rosatom Flot, the national authority responsible for the operation of icebreakers, as well as three accompanying journalists.”
“Because of the poor visibility due to fog, our helicopter flight was delayed by some five hours and we arrived at Dixon. Immediately we visited the Dixon Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) and received a briefing from the Head of the MRCC, Victor Shcurov, on its activities and duties. This MRCC covers all of the Arctic Ocean including the Kara Sea, Laptev Sea and Eastern Siberian Sea, together with the Sub-Centres at Tiksi and Pevek.”
” Radiocommunication and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System are of great interest in the context of Arctic navigation and I was briefed that the gap in coverage of the INMARSAT satellite communication system in and around the Laptev Sea is filled by a supplementary terrestrial communication system.
After the short visit to the MRCC, we finally went aboard the icebreaker at 17:30.”
Northern Sea Route: Day 2, 16 August 2013
“I woke up at 07:00 to the sound of a collision with an ice floe.
Within an hour, we had entered the area of continuous ice. This means that the ice breaker continually collides with the ice and the noise and vibration do not stop”
“In the afternoon, we met a convoy led by another nuclear icebreaker, Yamal. She was escorting one huge LNG carrier and a bulk carrier through the Kara Sea, navigating from the north-east.After we crossed, I received a request from the Captain of the LNG carrier to have a radio call with him and I explained the purpose of my mission, highlighting the importance of the activities of IMO for Arctic navigation, and expressed my best wishes to him.”
“The north-eastern part of the Kara Sea is currently accumulating ice, due to a continuous wind from the north for several days. Conditions were getting worse. Before we reached the north of Cape Chelyuskin, leaving the Kara Sea and turning around the northern most point of Asia, 50 Let Pobedy was involved in serious activities to provide support for another nuclear icebreaker, Vaygach, which was leading a convoy oftwo ships. Later,50 Let Pobedy was actively involved in supporting another huge bulker, stationed in ice-covered water waiting for a convoy to help her. The bulker carried an Arctic pilot, boarded at Murmansk,to support her Arctic voyage.50 Let Pobedy u-turned, circled and made various manoeuvres to provide the expected support to other ships and even to other icebreakers. This really is a powerful icebreaker, breaking ice, riding on ice, making cracks in ice and creating water channels. I could really sense the power of these nuclear icebreakers.
Our climate is changing, and the area of multi-layer ice has been shrinking due to the increase in seawater temperature. Navigation through the Arctic using the Northern Sea Route has become a reality in summer. However, the Arctic waters are still extreme, even in summer, and the power of nature cannot be underestimated. I am in no doubt that, in the conditions I have observed, the active support of these powerful icebreakers is still essential for safe passage of the Arctic Ocean, although we should rigorously explore the possibility of Arctic navigation under the mandatory Polar Code currently being developed at IMO.”
Northern Sea Route: Day 3, 17 August 2013
“When my alarm woke me up at 07:00, the sea was just a calm, misty water. 50 Let Pobedy was moving ahead at cruising speed in the wide open water of the Laptev Sea. From the bridge, we occasionally saw the tips of icebergs, but the weather was very kind. The outside temperature was 4 degrees. We are located at 77.48N, 115.20E.
In the afternoon, I had a chance to address the crew of the icebreaker. I spoke about the activities of IMO in general, and specifically the Polar Code.”
“Afterwards, I had an opportunity to discuss various matters relating to the Northern Sea Route with Deputy Minister Olersky. Among the subjects we discussed were the availability of accurate navigational charts and the need for hydrographical surveys to be carried out, the responsibility of the newly established Administration over the Northern Sea Route, and the cost of essential services such as pilotage and assistance from icebreakers.”
Northern Sea Route: Days 4 and 5, 18-19 August 2013
“On Day Four, when we were getting closer to the Siberian coast, we encountered more and more accumulated ice on the sea.50 Let Pobedy moved smoothly, avoiding the ice wherever she could, but this was not always possible and, from time to time, we would experience forceful collisions with the ice. By this time, I had become well accustomed to the noises and vibrations caused by the ice-breaking process.
We did not encounter any other ship during this time, except for a Russian hydrographic vessel. She was measuring the water depth, as part of the current ambitious plan to survey thousands of miles of the Northern Sea Route areas in the coming years. It is expected that we will be arriving at Pevek at 02:00 on 20 August, the day the Maritime Labour Convention enters into force.”
“At the farewell dinner arranged for us, I told Captain Lobusov and his crew how much I appreciated all the arrangements that had been made and the support provided for our visit.
For me, this has been a remarkable voyage.”
“I have been able to observe, at first hand, the weather and sea conditions and experience for myself ice-breaking activities and navigation in the Arctic Ocean. I am sure that this experience will enable me to make even stronger personal contributions to the work of IMO in dealing with Arctic navigation and, in particular, to the preparation of the Polar Code.”
