Meteorological and sea ice services in the Arctic : how fisheries and cruise actors address risk in their decision

This study works towards a wider understanding of the specific role of weather and sea ice information services in decision-making processes in Arctic navigation. It focusses on the cruise and fishing industry. Due to climate change, the ice cover in the Arctic is retreating, creating opportunities and challenges for maritime operators. The Arctic inhabits relatively uncertain conditions such as sea ice, fog, waves and wind which a captain needs to handle. The cruise tourism industry and the fishing industry have different approaches to address those challenges by means of available weather and sea ice information services in their planning of voyage itineraries and in the operational phase. With limited electronic communication systems in the higher Arctic, reliable and up-to-date weather and sea ice information are rare, making navigating in the Arctic a safety concern. There are public and private producers of weather and sea ice information services in the Arctic available, indicating little information on the expectations and needs of the end users onboard of cruise and fishing vessels. Interviews with captains from cruise and fishing vessels were conducted, addressing the role and handling of weather and sea ice information services and the need and requirements for such information services. The results showed that, for both industries, weather and sea ice information services play a crucial role in the decision-making processes while navigating in the Arctic. Better weather and sea ice information services are needed to minimise risks in navigation. Furthermore, knowledge, experience and skills of a captain are crucial. The competences of the captain are closely connected to the risks taken and accordingly to guarantee safety at sea. Safety regulations and laws especially tailored to the Arctic need to be enforced. Enhanced training and knowledge transfers of captains, especially in the cruise tourism industry need to be solved