The Contribution of Space Technologies to Arctic Policy Priorities

Royal Arctic Line a/s Company overview

The Royal Arctic Line a/s is a joint stock company fully owned by the Greenland Government. Royal Arctic Line Ltd. was established in 1993, when a number of divisions in the Home Rule›s trading company KNI, was incorporated. One of them became the container liner service called Royal Arctic Line. The company has more than 200 years of experience with sailing around Greenland, first as the Royal Trading Company, then as KNI, and since 1993, as Royal Arctic Line. Greenland›s Self-Rule authority has awarded Royal Arctic Line the monopoly concession to sail regularly scheduled routes between the towns in Greenland and between Greenland and Reykjavik, Iceland, and Aalborg, Denmark, as well as a number of other overseas destinations. However, the concession must meet a number of conditions concerning call-in frequencies, capacity and security of supply for all towns on both the east and west coasts of Greenland. The main hurdles are lack of communication north of app. 75 degrees and in the satellite shadow of mountains in fjords. Other challenges are connected to the cost of Internet use and the need for communication satellites. The company is satisfied with the ice alerts and ice forecasts. Maps are often incorrect or inaccurate

Information needs

The company uses Vsat, Sat C and Sat B for communication with Iridium as backup. GPS for navigation.

Current use of satellite systems Current use of satellite systems

Communications Weather Navigation

B.3.2 Shipping – Tschudi Arctic Transit Tschudi Arctic Transit Facts in Brief Sector/industry: Shipping

Geographic area of operations: Svalbard, Northern Norway and the Nort-West Passage Status of operations: Operative Ownership and key stakeholders: Owned by Tschudi Shipping, local municipalities, Syd –Varanger gruver as. Web link: http://www.tschudiarctictransit.com/ Tschudi Arctic Transit AS, formerly Kirkenes Transit AS, was founded in 1996 to develop and conduct transportation solutions for goods to and from Russia using Honningsvaag and Kirkenes as an ice-free deepwater transit port. Tschudi Arctic Transit is owned by Tschudi Shipping Company AS who for many years has been involved with a number of projects to encourage and develop commerce and industry between Norway and Russia. Tschudi Shipping was established in 1883 and has worked on projects in Russia, the Baltic States, and Northern Norway. Tschudi Shipping Company is also the owner of Tschudi Kirkenes AS, located in Kirkenes, Norway. Through the establishment of Kirkenes Industrial Logistics Area (KILA), Tschudi Kirkenes AS is an important element of the international business cluster aimed at serving the oil and gas industry and maritime transport sector in the Barents Sea region. The two main hurdles for operations in the Arctic are lack of accurate and timely ice information in the Russian sector of the North-West passage and some gaps in communication coverage through the passage. They also see it as a problem that ships that have to wait for transit or transshipping often do not receive good TV signals, which has Implications for the welfare of the crew.

Company overview

Information needs

The company uses satellites for communication and navigation

Current use of satellite systems Current use of satellite systems

Communications Weather Navigation

B.3.3 Fishing – Nordland Havfiske Nordland Havfiske Facts in Brief

Sector/industry: Fisheries Geographic area of operations: Fishing the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea and north of Svalbard Status of operations: Operative Ownership and key stakeholders: Aker Seafoods Web link: http://www.akerseafoods.com/text.cfm?id=1-0&path=2,14,19 Nordland Havfiske is a Norwegian trawling company that operates five freeze and fresh fish trawlers and is a part of Akers Seafoods Group. One of their trawlers is classified for light ice conditions. They mainly trawl for white fish (cod, haddock and saithe) and shrimp. The company has been operating since 1953. It is based in Stamsund, Lofoten in Norway. The main challenge is communication north of about 78 degrees. The ships use internet more and more for price information, weather forecast, crew welfare and generally for ship operations. Internet does not work in the far north. Generally where it does work the price is very high and the capacity is low.

Company overview

Information needs

79 B. INVENTORY OF ARCTIC POLICIES AND INDUSTRY INTERESTS