The Northern Sea Route Forum in Tokyo
Under the INSROP, in which 390 researchers from 14 countries worked together, extensive studies were made on all aspects of navigation of the NSR including natural conditions, ice sea navigation technology, and social, economic and legal implications, as well as simulation of NSR navigation.
The simulation was the first of its kind to incorporate the most advanced icebreaker technology and detailed data on the ice situation, and suggested that NSR navigation by a handy size bulk carrier escorted by an icebreaker would be economically feasible.
The findings of the research program were put together into 167 reports. In addition to these a geographical information system (INSROP GIS) has also been built up in this connection, based on valuable data on the Arctic Sea accumulated by Russia for many years.
The Ship & Ocean Foundation, FNI and CNIIMF organized "Northern Sea Route User Conference" last November in Oslo to provide an opportunity to promote renewed recognition of the potential of the NSR. Policy makers and experts in international shipping, commerce, insurance and environmental issues in interested countries were invited to the meeting, which attracted about 250 participants from 21 countries, including the Russian Minister of Transport, the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, the Japanese Ambassador to Norway, and the presidents of shipowners' associations of Greece and Norway.
Also, a Northern Sea Route Forum was successfully held March in Tokyo, in which some 300 persons participated. The achievements of the INSROP are thus high appreciated internationally.
For details on the INSROP, please access http://www.fni.no/insrop/.
Ship & Ocean Foundation
Address: Nippon Zaidan Bldg., 15-16, Toranomon 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001
Tel: +81-3-3502-1828 Fax: +81-3-3502-2033
E-mail: info@sof.or.jp URL: http://www.sof.or.jp
