Arctic shipping guidelines: towards a legal regime for navigation safety and environmental protection?

ABSTRACT With the International Polar Year (IPY) having commenced in March 2007, key issues relating to the polar regions are again in focus. This article reviews one central legal issue re-emerging in the Arctic: global regulation of safety standards for international shipping. The ‘Guidelines for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Author: Jensen, Øystein
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2008
Subjects:
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Ecology
Geography, Planning and Development
Arctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Antarc*
International Polar Year
IPY
Polar Record
ice covered waters
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247407007127
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247407007127
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT With the International Polar Year (IPY) having commenced in March 2007, key issues relating to the polar regions are again in focus. This article reviews one central legal issue re-emerging in the Arctic: global regulation of safety standards for international shipping. The ‘Guidelines for ships operating in Arctic ice-covered waters’ are examined, with a view to the probable expansion of shipping in the Arctic in near future. Following an introduction to navigational issues within the Arctic context, the article describes how the guidelines came into being, and then analyses key elements and structure of the regulations and shortfalls of today's arrangements. The possible relevance of the guidelines to the Antarctic is also discussed briefly. Finally, the article inquires into the key repercussions of introducing binding regulations.

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