A letter by Seas at Risk and Transport Environment
This letter addressed to EU officials Federica Mogherini, Karmenu Vella, Martin Schulz, Elmar Brok and Giovanni La Via outlines key asks regarding the discussion of heavy fuel oil use by shipping in the Arctic ahead of the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group, stressing the urgency for action.
A working Paper by the International Council on Clean Transportation (icct)
This paper provides valuable data on the number of ships operating on HFO in the Arctic, the amount of HFO fuel onboard these vessels, and the distance such fuel is carried throughout the Arctic in 2015. It finds that while there are fewer ships operating on HFO than distillate in the IMO Arctic and the U.S. Arctic, the quantity of fuel onboard ships in both areas is dominated by HFO at a ratio of more than 3:1.
A report by VARD Marine Inc. for WWF Canada
The aim of this study is to provide an objective assessment of the likely cost impact of fuel switching from residual fuel oils to low sulphur fuels. It presents an analysis of the economic impact of introducing more stringent air emission controls in the Canadian Arctic to align with North American Emission Control Area (ECA) south of 60°N where low sulphur emissions are now a requirement.
A Briefing by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
The biggest threat to beluga whale and other cetaceans populations from increased shipping activities in the Arctic is the risk of a major HFO heavy fuel oil spill and its harmful long-lasting consequences on the whole ecosystem. The EIA makes recommendations to the to the 66th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on the need for cooperation work on oil spill response plans and making the issue of HFO a priority.
Submission paper by FOEI, WWF and Pacific Environment to the IMO
Food security for many coastal Arctic indigenous communities is inextricably tied to the bounty of the sea. This paper highlights threats to that food security in light of increased Arctic shipping activities and all its associated impacts: oil and chemical spills; marine mammal strikes and disturbance; food waste disposal; invasive species introduction from ballast water discharges and hull fouling; wastewater effluent; and air emissions, including black carbon and air toxins.
A report by Daniel Lack PhD
This study looks at how variable factors specific to Arctic Ocean sailing impact on ship propulsion, and engine efficiency and how Arctic shipping needs to adjust its fuel consumption to the changes experienced. The reports delves into the complexity of BC emission predictions and the technical choices that will need to be made for the reduction of BC emissions from today and future Arctic sailing operations.
A report by Daniel Lack PhD
This report demonstrates how a shift from low quality high sulphur residual fuels to high quality low sulphur distillate fuels will result in a 50% reduction in Black Carbon (BC) emissions and estimates what impacts a HFO ban would have on emissions of other pollutants and takes into consideration the technical and financial aspects.
A Working Paper by Biswajoy Roy, Bryan Comer
Compares the economic and environmental tradeoffs of switching from HFO to two alternative fuels, distillate fuel and liquefied natural gas (LNG), in the IMO Arctic, as defined in the IMO Polar Code.
A Summary report by WWF Canada
As the Arctic warms and sea ice diminishes, the biggest threat to the Arctic marine
environment from ships is from an oil spill. Less summer sea ice has already led to
increases in ship traffic, yet significant legislative, capacity, information and funding
gaps exist in the current spill response framework in both Nunavut, and in the
Beaufort region.
A Study by Bryan Comer, Naya Olmer, Xiaoli Mao, Biswajoy Roy, Dan Rutherford
Estimates heavy fuel oil (HFO) use, HFO carriage, the use and carriage of other fuels, BC emissions, and emissions of other air and climate pollutants in the Arctic for the year 2015, with projections to 2020 and 2025.