Safety and environmental aspects combined with complete remoteness put extra demands on shipping and hydrocarbon exploitation activities in the Arctic. The operator, the ship has to be prepared for often extreme weather and ice situations. This includes not only technical matters as hull design, polar classes, ice forces but also organisation, knowhow, plans and effective management must be fully involved.
The remoteness itself emphasizes the fact that one has to rely on his own resources only, his knowledge, experience and crew when unexpected situations appear. You cannot call for extra supply, tools, fuel, rescue, etc. in accidental situations. The situation must be handled with available resources, following implemented, prepared, manned and trained plans. According to statistics from the Arctic Council, accidents in the Arctic regions occur, involving groundings, collisions, fire, among others. Even though the traffic increases the volume of spilled oil has decreased during the last two decades. In order not only to fulfil governmental demands and regulations for planned activities, a pro active safety approach is needed in order to become capable to handle a spill in pack ice. Risk analysis and safety management may identify and minimize risks, but we have to be prepared for dealing with the consequences when the spill appears.
