Because reliable information of ice conditions is essential for navigation in ice, preparation of the necessary infrastructure and its maintenance are issues of paramount importance.
[6] The voyage underscored the importance of information on navigation aids, particularly on ice conditions. Throughout most of the Laptev Sea, however, communication via INMARSAT broke down (Figure 4.2-10). To solve this problem, transmission facilities or stations need to be upgraded along Russia's northern coast. Notification of the route selection of the NSR is requested one month prior to leaving port, which means that route selection in advance of any voyage must be made on the basis of forecasts on ice conditions for the entire NSR one month forward. The responsible public authorities should duly undertake the responsibility to provide this information service.
[7] To obtain the quantitative data of the ship performance in ice and open water, propulsion and turning tests were conducted, using sensors and instruments on boards such as shaft power meter, gyro and other various measuring devices. Approximately 150 tests in total were carried out at sites A to D, as shown in Fig. 5.2. The data from these instruments were recorded and analyzed automatically by equipment in the measuring center in the ship, so that as much analysis as possible could be conducted on board. Results of the propulsion performance tests appear in Figures 5.10 and 5.11.
