The Arctic Institute sees agreement the China-Iceland trade agreement as a clear sign of China's drive to gain a foothold in the Arctic region.In response the signing of a free trade agreement between China and Iceland today, The Arctic Institute’s Executive Director Malte Humpert said:'…
The Russian state-owned stake in Murmansk Shipping Company (MSCO) will be privatised by the end of 2013.MSCO assets are composed of fleets of three shipping companies: Murmansk Shipping Company (Murmansk), Northern Sea Shipping Company (Arkhangelsk)…
'It’s not a question of 'if' there will be nearly ice-free summers, but 'when,' say two NOAA scientists.James Overland of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Muyin Wang of the NOAA Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean at the University of Washington…
The partners in Russia 's Yamal LNG project are in talks to ship cargoes to Britain & northwest Europe in winter, when heavy sea ice clogs routes to Asia.Under the plan, a fleet of around 14 LNG ice-breaking vessels will deliver Arctic gas…
Arctic offshore vessel NB 507 has been named after Russian Navigator Aleksey Chirikov at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard.The vessel will be delivered to the largest Russian shipping company Sovcomflot shortly and will continue its path straight to Sakhalin area in Far East Russia…
Regulatory uncertainty leads ConocoPhillips to call a halt to its 2014 Chukchi Sea exploration drilling plans.ConocoPhillips say it will put its 2014 Alaska Chukchi Sea exploration drilling plans on hold given the uncertainties of evolving…
A US interagency working group calls for an integrated management strategy for the rapidly changing Arctic.The recently issued report of the inter-agency working group, chaired by Interior Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes, highlights the need…
Shell to sign Russian Arctic deal with Gazprom Neft, Kremlin reveals.The companies are preparing to sign an agreement that will cover joint offshore drilling in the Russian Arctic as well as shale oil projects onshore in Western Siberia, reports The Telegraph…
Japan's JGC Corporation with France's Technip to carry out the EPIC & commissioning of an integrated facility for natural gas liquefaction at the Yamal Peninsular.The contract was awarded by JSC Yamal LNG, owned by NOVATEK (80%) and TOTAL (20%)…
Yamal LNG, a J/V between Russia’s Novatek and France’s Total, granted permission to build a liquefied natural gas plant in the Russian Arctic.The joint venture, majority-owned by Novatek with an 80 percent stake, received a positive assessment…
From an office in downtown Moscow, 15 people will regulate traffic along Russia’s Northern Sea Route.A decree signed this week by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev marks the formal establishment of the new Northern Sea Route administration. The office…
Romania's Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP) to start drilling in June, admitting it has no experience of drilling operations in the Arctic.Operations are scheduled to start at the beginning of June and will be carried out in Dolginskoye oil field…
The Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a press release stating that the assessment of Shell’s 2012 Arctic operations has been completed. The Report found that Shell entered the 2012 drilling season without having finalized key components of the program and did not maintain strong…
A Chinese shipping firm is planning the country’s first commercial voyage through the Northern Sea Route, summer 2013.By 2020 as much as 15 percent of the country’s international trade can be shipped through the Arctic, reports the Barents Observer…
US Coast Guard cutter 'Munro' navigated shifting ice fields to close on Bering Sea fishing fleet, then rendered emergency medical help.While the weapons and operations departments were wrapping up the day’s second boarding, a radio call reached Munro’s bridge from fishing vessel Nordic Fury…