Arctic News

Scientists at the South Russian State Polytechnic University have developed a technology for creating environmentally friendly materials for road and low-rise construction in the Arctic. These materials are derived from waste generated by the combustion processes in thermal power plants. The new materials are durable, frost-resistant, and suitable for thermal insulation of foundations, basements, underground pipelines, and utility networks. The scientists will continue to work on further improving these materials. One of the primary challenges of construction in the Arctic is the soil characteristics:...

In 2022, Turkey decided to join the Svalbard Treaty, signed on February 9, 1920. The bill was approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on October 6, 2022. Legal procedures were completed with the adoption of Law No. 7461, published in the Official Gazette on April 10, 2023, authorizing the Republic of Turkey to participate in this international agreement. The rights granted to Turkish citizens as a result of Turkey joining the Svalbard Treaty align with the provisions that the treaty extends to all signatory nations. The treaty allows citizens of the signatory...

The first official Brazilian Arctic expedition, a group of five professors, to Svalbard took place in July 2023 with the aim of collecting materials for new research and comparison of the North Pole and Antarctica, a continent studied for more than 40 years by Brazilian researchers as part of the Brazilian Antarctic Program (Proantar). Brazil's interest in the Arctic is driven by a desire to correct imbalances in the study of the polar regions and demonstrate its growing profile in international relations as a strong regional power. Read about the first expedition here The second Arctic Brazilian...

Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) announced the signing of a Memorandum with Mokpo National Maritime University, the world-class university specializing in maritime education, and STX Marine Service on board the icebreaking research vessel Araon moored at Incheon Port on July 4, 2024. The agreement was aimed at training professional personnel for ships operating in polar waters. About 10 people attended the signing ceremony, including Shin Hyun-chul, director of the Polar Research Institute, Han Won-hee, president of Mokpo National Maritime University, and Oh Myung-jae, general director of STX Marine Service...

The Central Marine Design Bureau Almaz has developed a conceptual design for the Arctic cruise liner Kunashir. The design of the ship is based on the serial icebreaker of the project 23550. The primary purpouse of the vessel is to run sea cruises and transport passengers in the Arctic. The ship provides opportunities to land on unprepared shores, ice, and uninhabited islands. Three usage options are offered: expedition, research, or cruise voyages. The liner will be equipped for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and a helicopter, as well as two hovercrafts and two specially designed boats which can be used for tours and shoreline inspections...

NOVATEK has sent its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) eastward through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from Sabetta. The summer navigation on the NSR could open a pathway to production from the Arctic LNG-2 project, which is currently under the US sanctions. The first summer LNG shipment is being transported by the ice-class tanker Arc7 Eduard Toll, part of the Yamal LNG fleet. According to the tracking systems, the tanker left the port of Sabetta on June 21. The market was anticipating the start of summer navigation on the NSR, as this could...