News about Arctic Shipping and Marine Operations

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With Shell preparing to drill off Alaska this summer the worry about oil spill by people not familiar with drilling operation is maybe their biggest challenge.
Shell has produced this animated video to explain how they will handle an oil spill and the equipment they will have available: http://gcaptain.com/video-how-shell-...content=261222

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Who says it is easy to get going with drilling in the Alaskan Arctic??: http://gcaptain.com/shell-icebreaker...2#.VZzmLPmqpBc

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The revived Newsweek Magazine has an interesting article about the Arctic as seen from an American perspective: http://www.newsweek.com/2015/07/17/c...ar-349973.html

One of the problem for America is the refusal of the Senate to ratify UNCLOS, thus making it difficult for the US to lay claims to an extension of their EEZ in accordance with the criteria set forth in UNCLOS. (US is a signatory to UNCLOS and has largely comply with it, so far)

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Looks like the US wants to get more involved in the Arctic, but before they can untie the knot that is holding up ratification of UNCLOS by Congress they have no right to claim anything outside 200 n.miles from the coast of Alaska: http://gcaptain.com/nations-joust-bu...2#.VeGB-_aqpBc

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Greenpeace tried to block the Fennica from leaving Portland, Oregon by suspending themself from a bridge.
After an initial stand-off, she just sailed down river with the activists shouting their displeasure (and %#@*&): http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/i...cebreaker.html

Nice piece of maneuvering with the mast passing between the dangling protesters.

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Further and further north is the game these days: http://www.smp.no/nyheter/article11434534.ece

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The Arctic is hotting up in more ways than one and little Norway would like to be one of the main players in the new "Great Game": http://www.oedigital.com/oe-media/oe...arctic-seismic

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Non-arctic nations are also showing interest in the region.
China already has a foothold on Svalbard and Iceland on the Atlantic side. Now they want to show their flag and interest by entering from the Pacific side: http://gcaptain.com/chinese-navy-shi...2#.VekCY_mqpBc

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It take quite a fleet of vessels to drill for oil in the Arctic.
Here is what Shell has mobilized for this years campaign in the Chukchi Sea: http://gcaptain.com/ship-photos-of-t...2#.Veq8zvmqpBc

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The Arctic Council has 8 members, all with direct interest in the region: http://www.arctic-council.org/index..../about/members

The Nation States and Organizations that is long and growing: http://www.thearcticinstitute.org/20...ueuing-up.html

Why are landlocked states like Mongolia and Switzerland interested in getting Observer Status?? Because nobody want to loose out.

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If you are hosting an Arctic Circle Conference at or about the "worst part" of the northern Autumn, where better to do so than in Singapore?
Here is from a Norwegian Embassy Newsletter:

Singapore’s interest for the Arctic region remains strong. In November, we focus in on Norway’s Arctic experiences at an exhibition at Science Centre Singapore, done in collaboration with the Singapore MFA. The event coincides with a session of the Arctic Circle-meeting in Singapore, hosted by the President of Iceland.

PS> Iceland just barely sneak in as "within the Arctic Circle", with a little tip at the NW & NE "corners" making it past the "magic line".

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Shell has a dry well and is pulling out of the Alaskan Arctic for now: http://gcaptain.com/shell-pulls-plug...5#.VgpJp3qqpBd
USD 9 Bill. spent and 1.1 Bill. still in contractual obligations.

What will happen to Polar Pioneer now? Hardly likely to go back to Norway at this time.

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More about Shell's termination of drilling off Alaska and the future of US arctic claims: http://www.oedigital.com/regions/arc..._hsmi=22650774

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It is the end of drilling for oil and gas in US arctic waters, not only for Shell but for everybody: https://gcaptain.com/u-s-halts-arcti...5#.ViMK-fkrKUk

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Shell may have pulled out and the US closed the door to Arctic drilling for the foreseeable future, but Statoil is forging ahead with their preparation for Arctic operations in the future: http://gcaptain.com/norways-inocean-.../#.VisIp_krKUk

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Returning from an assignment with Shell in Alaska the Tor Viking II took the shortest route home, through the Northern Sea Route.
The latest passage without assistance by a nuclear powered Ice breaker: http://thebarentsobserver.com/arctic...out-icebreaker

The fact that the Tore Viking is an Ice breaker herself my have helped??