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The Arctic has become an important region due to the possibility of access to hydrocarbon resources and the formation of strategic maritime routes as a result of climate change. In this context, China published its policy document "White Paper" in 2018, expressing its intentions and aspirations about the Arctic. With this document, China has defined itself as a "near Arctic state" and aimed active participation in the Arctic issues. China, which deals with scientific research on the Arctic and the development of Arctic ports and transport corridors, emphasizes the importance of the "Polar Silk Road" as a part of the "Belt and Road Initiative". In doing so, China develops strong diplomatic relations with the Arctic states, enabling new dimensions to the geopolitics of the region. China's recent construction of icebreaker ships proves that it has longterm plans to become an "Arctic Power". This article analyzes whether China's Arctic goal is limited to access to the region or becoming a powerful actor with a decisive role in the region. The study also focuses on how this situation is perceived among other Arctic states. Finally, this article explores China's Arctic policy, China's interests in the Arctic region and its impacts in the light of the Neorealism Theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic has become an important region due to the possibility of access to hydrocarbon resources and the formation of strategic maritime routes as a result of climate change. In this context, China published its policy document "White Paper" in 2018, expressing its intentions and aspirations about the Arctic. With this document, China has defined itself as a "near Arctic state" and aimed active participation in the Arctic issues. China, which deals with scientific research on the Arctic and the development of Arctic ports and transport corridors, emphasizes the importance of the "Polar Silk Road" as a part of the "Belt and Road Initiative". In doing so, China develops strong diplomatic relations with the Arctic states, enabling new dimensions to the geopolitics of the region. China's recent construction of icebreaker ships proves that it has longterm plans to become an "Arctic Power". This article analyzes whether China's Arctic goal is limited to access to the region or becoming a powerful actor with a decisive role in the region. The study also focuses on how this situation is perceived among other Arctic states. Finally, this article explores China's Arctic policy, China's interests in the Arctic region and its impacts in the light of the Neorealism Theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice accretion reduces the stability, reliability, productivity, and safe operation of offshore exploration vessels, icebreakers, and marine structures in Arctic regions. This paper presents a review of existing literature on ice accumulation on marine vessels and offshore structures. Existing reports for field measured icing data are reviewed, which reveals that wave-collision generated sea spray is the main source of marine icing. Fundamental knowledge of different heat fluxes on the icing surface are analyzed and several numerical techniques for modelling of icing predictions on vessels, drilling rigs, and other offshore structures are critically reviewed. Additionally, this paper identifies methods of improving the ice prediction rate for marine vessels and offshore structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melting of sea ice in Arctic areas has opened up new horizons for the development of Arctic Marine Transportation Systems (AMTS). An icebreaker assists a single ship if the ice classification of the ship does not meet the ice conditions. With the increase of the number of ships and escort operations, the risks of collisions between escorting ships (icebreakers) and escorted ships have also increased. In view of this, a calculation model of the safety distance and collision risks between escorting and escorted ships is proposed in this paper in order to facilitate safe navigation in Arctic ice-covered waters. The aim of the paper is to analyze features of navigation concerning icebreakers and escorted ships in escort operations under continuous icebreaking conditions, where a quantitative model is proposed to calculate safety distances under varying ice conditions based on the ship-following theory. The proposed model is able to quantify safety distance intervals at an acceptable collision frequency under varying ice conditions, as well as the movement characteristics of icebreakers and escorted ships. A case study is carried out to calculate the safety distance between “YONG SHENG” and “50 LET POBEDY”. The results show that the model can accurately calculate the safety distance between “YONG SHENG” and “50 LET POBEDY”, which can provide theoretical guidance for ice navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reprint of an article is presented related to the rise in resources, shipping, and security due to the Arctic. Topics discuses include opening of a new ocean in the Arctic; struggle in Russia due to its hydrocarbon-dependent economy; rise in the Arctic maritime activities and Arctic shipping; challenge for the U.S. being the recapitalization of an icebreaking fleet.

[Display omitted] • Perchlorate between 31°N and 40°S contains terrestrial and atmospheric contribution. • Perchlorate in the southern high latitudes exhibits an obvious seasonal difference. • Elevated perchlorate levels between ~40°S and 80°S are linked to stratospheric inputs. Perchlorate (ClO 4 −) is harmful to human health, and knowledge on the levels and sources of natural ClO 4 − in different environments remains rather limited. Here, we investigate ClO 4 − in aerosol samples collected along a cross-hemisphere ship cruise between China and Antarctica and on a traverse between coastal East Antarctica and the ice sheet summit (Dome Argus). Perchlorate concentrations range from a few to a few hundred pg m−3. A clear latitudinal trend is found, with elevated ClO 4 − concentrations near populated areas and in the southern mid-high latitudes. Spatial patterns of atmospheric ClO 4 − over oceans near the landmasses support that terrestrial ClO 4 − is not transported efficiently over long distances. In the southern mid-latitudes, higher ClO 4 − concentrations in March than in November-December may be caused by significant stratospheric inputs in March. Perchlorate concentrations appear to be higher in the warm half than in the cold half of the year in the southern high latitudes, suggesting seasonal difference in main atmospheric sources. ClO 4 − may be formed in the reactions between chlorine free radical (Cl·) and ozone (O 3) in the stratosphere when Antarctic ozone hole occurs during September-October. And the stratosphere-produced ClO 4 − is moved to the boundary layer in several months and may be responsible for the high ClO 4 − concentrations in the warm half of the year. Perchlorate produced by photochemical reactions between O 3 and Cl· in the Antarctic stratosphere is likely responsible for the higher ClO 4 − concentrations in Antarctica than in Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Icebergs may cause a threat to offshore installations, vessels and operations in a number of Arctic regions. In order to increase the understanding of what happens when an iceberg tow is started in ice covered waters; physical tank model tests have been carried out in various concentrations of sea ice. The objectives with these tests have been to evaluate the practical arrangements for iceberg towing and to collect data regarding tow loads and iceberg behaviour during the tow. The tank model tests were carried out in scale 1:40 in the ice tank at Hamburg Ship Model Basin (HSVA), Germany. Two different iceberg models were used and each towed in four different ice concentrations. From all tests, tow line forces, iceberg displacements and rotations were recorded. It was concluded that towing in 50% ice concentrations and higher were not realistic due to high resistance. During the tows in high concentrations, ice was breaking in flexural mode, crushing, rafting and ridging continuously in front of the iceberg models. With respect to the tow line, the line was fully extended and lifted up from the water/ice. In real operations this may increase the risk for tow line rupture and subsequent “snapping”. In 50% ice concentration, total loads in the tow line will most of the time be lower than maximum bollard pull for powerful diesel electric icebreakers indicating that towing up to this concentration may be feasible. However, tow lines will have to resist even the highest peak loads during a tow and it is unclear whether sufficiently strong tow lines can be produced. With respect to tows in 20% concentration and open water, loads are significantly lower indicating that towing in low ice concentrations should be feasible. Measured loads seem to be reasonable well described by a log-normal distribution. The concentrations of surrounding sea ice are found to be most important for the load magnitude while variations in speed, acceleration, course and iceberg shape seem to be less important. A log-normal distribution, in which the parameters are functions of the sea ice concentration, has been fitted to recorded data. Combined with information regarding expected tow length, this distribution may be applied in order to provide crude estimate on extreme loads during an iceberg tow. By performing additional model tows in different ice conditions and with larger variations in iceberg size, this model may be further developed to be applicable in a wide range of scenarios. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This report contains a short history of the nuclear fleet, and it shows its contemporary condition. There are arguments supporting the necessity of using nuclear power plants on the Arctic icebreakers, especially their significant autonomy and economic efficiency. The maneuverability capacities of the nuclear power plants are demonstrated. The issues of providing for the nuclear and radiation safety of the nuclear icebreakers are examined along with the ecological problems connected with them. Characteristics of a prospective nuclear icebreaker and its reactor plant are presented. Possibilities of using nuclear reactors as power sources for isolated consumers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic navigation has become operational in recent decades with the decline in summer sea ice. To assess the navigability of trans-Arctic passages, combined model and satellite sea ice thickness (CMST) data covering both freezing seasons and melting seasons are integrated with the Arctic Transportation Accessibility Model (ATAM). The trans-Arctic navigation window and transit time are thereby obtained daily from modeled sea ice fields constrained by satellite observations. Our results indicate that the poorest navigability conditions for the maritime Arctic occurred in 2013 and 2014, particularly in the Northwest Passage (NWP) with sea ice blockage. The NWP has generally exhibited less favorable navigation conditions and shorter navigable windows than the Northern Sea Route (NSR). For instance, in 2013, Open Water (OW) vessels that can only safely resist ice with a thickness under 15 cm had navigation windows of 47 days along the NSR (45% shorter than the 2011–2016 mean) and only 13 days along the NWP (80% shorter than the 2011–2016 mean). The longest navigation windows were in 2011 and 2015, with lengths of 103 and 107 days, respectively. The minimum transit time occurred in 2012, when more northward routes were accessible, especially in the Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea with the sea ice edge retreated. The longest navigation windows for Polar Class 6 (PC6) vessels with a resistance to ice thickness up to 120 cm reached more than 200 days. PC6 vessels cost less transit time and exhibit less fluctuation in their navigation windows compared with OW vessels because of their ice-breaking capability. Finally, we found that restricted navigation along the NSR in 2013 and 2014 was related to the shorter periods of navigable days in the East Siberian Sea and Vilkitskogo Strait, with local blockages of thick ice having a disproportionate impact on the total transit. Shorter than usual navigable windows in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Beaufort Sea shortened the windows for entire routes of the NWP in 2013 and 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the October 2012 launch of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Arctic research ship Sikuliaq. The ship is designed with the capacity to break through sea ice and contains several oceanographic mapping systems. Other topics include the use of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy for Arctic research, the funding appropriation under the 2009 federal economic stimulus bill, and the planned University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) vessel consortium.

The article reports on the effects of marine-fuel price increase on the research projects launched as part of the International Polar Year (IPY). Hundreds of scientists that handle research projects in the Arctic and Antarctic regions worry on cancellation or postponement of their projects. The high cost of fuel affected the operation of scientific vessels and icebreakers like Polarstern, which is operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar & Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany. Scientific vessels like the Polarstern are powered fuelled by marine diesel oil that is much expensive compared to fuels used by normal cargo ships. AWI had requested budget to the German Ministry of science that will cover the extra costs but it was rejected.