Arctic shipping
Global demand for goods continues to grow while Arctic summer sea ice is shrinking: Arctic shipping is heating up.
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Senior Specialist, Sustainable Development
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Read moreWhy it matters
90% of goods are transported by ship, and Arctic routes represent huge potential savings in time and costs.
Although Arctic routes will not be open year round, companies are already investing billions of dollars in tankers capable of going through ice.
Trans-Arctic shipping routes
Shipping routes across the Arctic are significantly shorter than the routes commonly used today.
Our solutions
Take care near wildlife
WWF advises shipping companies on recognizing and avoiding marine mammals in ecologically sensitive areas.©Rob Oo / flickr / CC BY
Prepare for icy conditions
Ships venturing into Arctic waters must be prepared for Arctic conditions, especially those carrying ecologically hazardous cargos.©Canon / Brutus Ostling / WWF-Sweden
Prevent the spread of invasives
Operational practices for ships operating in Arctic waters should forbid the discharge of ballast waters in Arctic areas to prevent the introduction of alien species. These measures need to be backed up with monitoring and enforcement.©Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 4.0
Ban the dirtiest fuel
WWF is advocating for an Arctic-wide ban of Heavy fuel oil (HFO), a particularly dirty type of shipping fuel.©US Geological Survey
How we work
A quieter ocean for Arctic whales
Whales depend on sound to survive. WWF is working to limit sound pollution in Arctic waters by making parts of the ocean important for whales off limits to particularly loud industrial activities.
Assessing shipping risk
As the Arctic sea ice diminishes, shipping through the Bering Strait region will increase. WWF is working with partners protect marine resources from the threat of shipwrecks and related oil spills, invasive species, ship strikes, and pollution.
Reducing shipping impacts in Greenland
Increasing demand for Greenlandic resources means ship traffic is likely to grow significantly over the next few decades. WWF advises on the risks and engages communities and governments in discussions about best practices for shipping and marine spatial planning.
Reducing the oil spill risk
WWF has mapped the enormous potential reach of an oil spill in the Barents Sea.
Tools for mariners
WWF has created maps and posters for Canadian ships in the Arctic to help mariners identify and avoid marine mammals.
Publications
Getting it right in a new ocean - report
26 November 2018
Getting it right in a new ocean - summary
25 November 2018
The Circle 04.18
1 October 2018
Canada’s Arctic Marine Atlas
17 September 2018
Canadian Arctic Greywater Report
17 August 2018
The Circle 03.18
17 July 2018Meet the team
Recommended reading
Communities
WWF works with communities throughout the Arctic to help them deal with the effects of climate change, support research, and bring northern stories to a global audience.
Governance
A new Arctic needs new rules. As climate change causes the Arctic's ice to melt and new areas to open up, the region is facing unprecedented changes and serious threats.