Learn more: Shipping
Receding sea ice will open new shipping lanes across the Arctic, increasing the danger of a shipping accident or disastrous fuel spill in the far north. The remoteness and shifting ice of the Arctic not only make shipping incredibly challenging but also make any efforts to respond to shipping accidents equally daunting.
Increased Arctic shipping would bring about an increase in the amount of black carbon, CO2 and other pollution pumped directly into the Arctic, further stressing the ecosystem.
Oceana is working to ensure that before any vessel traffic expands into the Arctic Ocean, there are shipping standards in place that include effective contingency planning, enforced regulations and pre-positioning of spill response equipment, personnel and other capabilities in place. This must include adequate funding for such activities.
