Creation of a GIS based Case Study Collection for Marine Accidents and Exercises in the Arctic

• Main Author: Hamrock, Peter
• Other Authors: Marchenko, Nataly, Høyland, Knut Vilhelm, Knudsen, Per
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: NTNU 2023
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3100612

Arctic sea ice has been experiencing a steady decline in its minimum extent, primarily occurring in September each year, with a current rate of shrinkage at 12% per decade. This diminishing sea ice has facilitated increased accessibility for vessels in the Arctic Ocean, resulting in a surge in ship traffic within these remote and extreme regions. Consequently, it becomes imperative to prepare for potential marine accidents in these areas and learn from past mistakes. The objective of this project was to develop a user-friendly dashboard interface that serves as a repository of marine accidents and rescue exercises, allowing the user to filter, search, and conduct detailed analysis of these selected cases. At present no such platform to find Arctic specific accident or exercise information exists. Using the capabilities of ArcGIS Online Dashboards and ArcGIS Storymap applications, the project creates a case collection of both 26 accidents and 18 exercises in the Arctic region. These tools were used to provide an intuitive and visually appealing platform to present data along with incorporating various multimedia elements and interactive maps that give a deep dive on each case. The work aimed to contribute to the broader goal of enhancing maritime safety and accident response strategies along with the education to academics and marine professionals in Arctic specific safety. By providing a platform for accessing and analysing historical accident data, stakeholders can learn from past experiences. The completed project can be used as a learning tool for university students in maritime and safety-related fields or incorporated into existing sites to bring it to a wider audience.