Marpart news - February 2018

SUCCESS WITH EU APPLICATION - 34 MILLION NOK FROM THE EU-HORIZON 2020 PROGRAM TO THE ARCSAR PROJECT​

The Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network (ARCSAR) received top score in the EU-Horizon 2020 program “Secure Societies” and will receive 34 mill NOK in innovation support from EU over a five year period. The project is led by Director Bent-Ove Jamtli from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway.“The project is very much a spin off from the MARPART and SARINOR projects and will provide a fantastic platform for cooperation between emergency response professionals, the preparedness industry and academia”, says professor Odd Jarl Borch from Nord University Business School. Nord University has facilitated the three year-long application process.

The following companies and institutions are partners in the Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network:

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway (NO) - project lead, Nord University (NO), Icelandic Coast Guard (ICE), Marine Rescue and Coordination Centre Torshavn (Faroes), Norwegian Coastguard (NO), Norwegian Coastal Administration (NO), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK), University of Portsmouth (UK), United States Coast Guard Academy (USA), Marine Rescue and Coordination Center Bremen (GER), Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI), Maritime Forum North (NO), AECO- Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (International), Laurea University of Applied Sciences (FI), Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (NZ), The Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NO), Cork Institute of Technology (IRE), E-GEOS SPA (IT), Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping (RUS), Memorial University of Newfoundland (CAN) and PolarQuest AB (SWE).

The ARCSAR project will establish the first formal Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network. The international multi-stakeholder consortium will combine existing knowledge and best practice, and propose innovation platforms for professional security and emergency response institutions in the Arctic and the North-Atlantic. The project will kick off within Autumn 2018.

Bent-Ove Jamtli, Director of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway

Bent-Ove Jamtli, Director of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway.

MARPART AT THE ARCTIC FRONTIERS 2018 CONFERENCE IN TROMSØ

The Marpart team arranged two side events at the Arctic Frontiers 2018 in Tromsø. The side event “Maritime emergency preparedness and international cooperation in the High North” was hosted by the Marpart and Marpart 2 (Man) projects. The event highlighted Arctic maritime activity areas and the need for robust emergency preparedness and response. The session had a special focus on management of search and rescue operations and oil spill response. Professor Odd Jarl Borch from Nord University gave an overview over the maritime challenges and risk areas in the North. He stated that it has never been safer to navigate the Arctic waters than it is today. However, we have to prepare for rare incidents that may stretch the capacities to the limit. Director Bent-Ove Jamtli from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway and research fellow Johannes Schmied elaborated on the types of incidents that we have previously had, and that we may prepare for. They also reminded of the so-called “black swans” - unwanted incidents of large-scale which cannot be predicted.

Researcher Nataly Marchenko of the University Center in Svalbard reflected on experiences from larger oil spill incidents and challenges of oil spill response in the Svalbard-region. Associate Professor Natalia Andreassen from the Nord University Business School reflected on the organization and management of emergency response efforts nationally, and operations demanding help from neighboring countries. Tor Husjord, Managing Director of Maritime Forum North and the manager of the SARINOR-project (www.sarinor.no) gave some final remarks and a look into the future. He raised concern about Arctic maritime areas where preparedness and response resources are scarce. He highlighted the need for additional resources, including a SAR base at Longyearbyen.

Bent-Ove Jamtli, Director of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway

Bent-Ove Jamtli, Director of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Northern Norway.


The next side event “Arctic offshore logistics - new solutions for supply shipping and emergency preparedness” was a joint venture between Nord University and SINTEF Ocean. Results from two projects funded by the MAROFF program of the Norwegian Research Council, several oil and gas companies and the maritime industry was presented.

Prof. Odd Jarl Borch presented the results of OPLOG-project (Operational logistics and business process management in High Arctic oil and gas operations) and emphasized that operations in the North Eastern part of the Barents Sea is not business as usual. New vessels with expanded multi-functionality with emergency response has to be contracted. New ways of configuration of the whole fleet has to be discussed. Eirik Darell Holand, HSEQ Manager at ENI Norge AS showed how ENI revolutionized the thinking related to oil spill response at the Goliat field including a large amount of fishing vessels in the oil spill respons fleet.

Transport of crew to and from the field may be a challenge the farther up and east we operate in the Barents Sea.

Vard Design showed a prototype PSV based on trimaran hull with speed up to 25 knots. The trimaran may serve as both a cargo supply and passenger vessel.

The discussion showed that there there is still a need for significant R&D and testing of innovative solutions for offshore winter operations in the High Arctic.



 


FURTHER NEWS

Emerging Leaders 2018
Emerging Leaders 2018.

Safety and Security – One of the five priorities in the Arctic at the “Emerging Leaders 2018”

Prior to the Arctic Frontiers 2018 conference, a group of 29 young professionals from 15 different countries joined the “Emerging Leaders 2018” program. The group also consisted of several representatives from MARPART-partner institutions including Maria Ershova (Murmansk State Technical University) and Johannes Schmied (Nord University). The main idea of the network program endorsed by Akvaplan-Niva’s Managing Director Salve Dahle and Conoco Philips’ Director Ole Lindefjeld, is to help young professionals establish their network early in their career. The networking program included presentations by young professionals, talks by representatives of organizations relevant to the Arctic, and participation at the policy-part of the Arctic Frontiers conference.

Among other tasks, the team of young professionals were asked to give a presentation on their vision of the Arctic to ambassadors and policy makers. Safety and security was one of the five core topics alongside people, environment, economy and technology.

“The Arctic is a safe place for people to live and visit, and this must continue.

Securing the rights and powers of the Arctic nations as well as providing security to their environment is important, both on an Arctic and a global level.

We want Arctic safety and security to be prepared. This is based on mutual trust, transparency and increased cooperation – including training and information sharing.

The visions and ideas of the people are essential for a peaceful Arctic and the global community.”

While security and peace represented key elements in this vision, the aspects which relate to joint efforts for preparedness have high relevance to the Marpart projects. Both training and information sharing were mentioned. The ongoing efforts of Marpart within maritime safety and security go in line with this vision, including the development of education programs, joint exercises and trainings as well as further initiatives to use simulation tools and technology.

More information about Emerging Leaders 2018 is available at http://www.arcticfrontiers.com/young/emerging-leaders/