Environmental Considerations and Impacts

(from AMSA Report 2009)

The most significant threat from ships to the Arctic marine environment is the release of oil through accidental or illegal discharge. Additional potential impacts of Arctic ships include ship strikes on marine mammals, the introduction of alien species, disruption of migratory patterns of marine mammals and anthropogenic noise produced from marine shipping activity. Changes in Arctic sea ice will not only provide for possible longer seasons of navigation, but may also result in increased interaction between migrating species and ships. Black carbon emissions from ships operating in the Arctic may have regional impacts by accelerating ice melt. Other ship emissions during Arctic voyages, such as SOx and NOx, may have unintended consequences for the Arctic environment and these emissions may require the implementation of additional IMO environmental regulations.

Arctic Council, 2009, Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA), Arctic Council.©