International Ice Charting Working Group: Enhancing Ice Information and Navigation Safety

1. InternationalIce Charting Working Grouphttp://nsidc.org/noaa/iicwg/ Helge Tangen Regional Director, Tromsø Area, Norwegian Meteorological Institute EC-PHORS-8, March 2018

2. Outline • IICWG Background • Charter • Members • Purpose • Accomplishments • Recent Meetings • Current Activities • Ice Information in the Southern Ocean • Ice Information for the Polar Code • Ice Information Support for Polar Tourism • Ice Navigation Training for Ships’ Officers • Arctic Shipping Best Practices Information Forum • Questions?

3. IICWG Charter “Recognizing the ongoing interest of the national influenced by ice covered waters in the use and protection of those water; and further recognizing the value and economics of cooperative activities in operational ice services supporting maritime navigation; the ice charting services of the world formed the International Ice Charting Working Group … to provide a forum for coordination of ice matters, including icebergs, and offers non-binding recommendations to senior management as appropriate.”

4. IICWG Charter Signatories • Argentina – Naval Hydrographic Service • Canada - Canadian Ice Service • Chile - Naval Weather Service • Finland - Finnish Meteorological Institute • Germany - Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie • Greenland - Danish Meteorological Institute • Iceland - Iceland Weather Office • International Ice Patrol • Norway - Norwegian Meteorological Institute • Poland Institute of Meteorology and Water Management • Russia - Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute • Sweden - Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute • United Kingdom - British Antarctic Survey • United States - National Ice Center

5. IICWG Past Accomplishments • Harmonization of ice chart availability and appearance • Common implementation of international ice code • Standard international colour codes • SIGRID – format for exchange and archival of digital ice charts • Lobby for continued availability of satellite data for ice monitoring • Ice Logistics Portal • Convenient, single point of access to charts from many ice services • Arctic METAREAs – implemented practical mechanism to coordinate products among issuing services • Ice Analyst Workshops - share best practices and standardize training • Ice Objects Catalogue for Electronic Navigation Charts

6. Past Accomplishments (cont) • S-411 standard for ice information products for Electronic Navigation Chart Systems (ENCS / ECDIS) • Standard adopted by IHO; routine product generation introduced by several ice services • Improved availability of ice information in Antarctic waters • Training for Southern Hemisphere ice services provided • Adoption/development of international standards suited to Southern Ocean • Joint production by U.S., Russia and Norway of weekly hemispheric ice charts for Antarctic waters initiated • Production of daily ice charts for Antarctic seas commenced by Argentina • Ice information requirements of the IMO Polar Code • Ice information requirements included in Polar Code and Training and Watchkeeping Standards • POLARIS Risk Assessment tool supported and promoted for use by Polar Navigators

7. Annual IICWG Meetings • 17th Meeting – October 2016 – Ottawa, Canada • “From Models to Forecast Products for Sea Ice and Icebergs” • 96 participants, 48 organizations, 13 countries • 18th Meeting – September 25-29, 2017, Hobart, Tasmania • “New technologies, big data, and the future of ice charting and forecasting” • 61 participants, 37 organizations, 13 countries • 19th Meeting – September 24-28, 2018, Helsinki, Finland

8. Ice Information in the Southern Ocean • Improving ice observations for Antarctic waters • Tool to convert AspeCt observation codes to SIGRID-3 ice chart code • 6th Ice Analysts’ Workshop • Norwegian ice charting software for the Southern Ocean • Antarctic Search-and-Rescue discussion exercise • Led by Australian Antarctic Division & Australian Maritime Safety Authority • Prepare ice services for a large scale response effort in ice infested waters. • Take-away – an institutionalized service model is needed to avoid reliance on individuals and maximize sustainability

9. Ice Information for the Polar Code • Ice chart products to support Polar Code risk-based assessment • Depict ship-specific risk index outcome directly • Action to develop an international standard for such products • Work on-going to assess and improve the applicability of the POLARIS risk assessment tool to Antarctic waters

10. Ice Information Support for Polar Tourism • Huge upswing in Polar Tourism in recent years • 20 new vessels by 2020 / large numbers of passengers in ice-infested waters • International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators • Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators • Ice services developing specialized products and services to enhance safety

11. Ice Navigation Training for Ships’ Officers • Polar Code requires knowledge of ice • masters must have advanced knowledge • bridge officers must have basic knowledge • IICWG is working with the Nautical Institute to develop curricula for standardized ice navigator training that can be delivered by marine institutes

12. Arctic Shipping Best Practices Information Forum • ASBPIF web portal to give mariners access to information needed to navigate safely in Arctic waters • PAME initiative • IICWG early supporter in providing content to the portal • IICWG co-chair Marianne Thyrring will address the 2nd meeting of the Forum in May 2018 along with WMO and ARHC

13. Questions?