Arctic connected | More ships in the Arctic bring serious risks

As sea ice melts, countries and industries are increasingly gaining access to offshore oil and gas, minerals and other resources in the Arctic. Disappearing sea ice is also opening up new Arctic shipping routes, which are shorter than the existing ones that pass through the Panama and Suez Canals. In fact, between 2013 and 2019 the number of ships entering the Arctic increased by 25 per cent as more oil tankers and bulk carriers passed through the region’s waters.

While this increase brings economic opportunities, it also brings greater risks for Arctic marine ecosystems and coastal communities—because more ships mean greater risks of accidents, oil spills and pollution.

Increasing pollution in the Arctic Ocean

About three quarters of the marine fuel currently used by ships in the Arctic is heavy fuel oil, or HFO. HFO is problematic for Arctic ecosystems in several ways. When this dirty, viscous and polluting fossil fuel is spilled in cold polar waters, it breaks down even more slowly than other fossil fuels—and there is currently no viable method to remove the oil from ice.

There is also no infrastructure in place in the Arctic from which to stage a clean-up operation.  That means that any HFO spill will have long-term, devastating effects on Arctic communities and the marine ecosystems and species they depend upon. It could also hinder Arctic communities’ subsistence harvesting of fish and marine mammals by contaminating coastlines. This could lead to food shortages and jeopardize livelihoods, cultures and human health in the Arctic, especially for Indigenous communities.

When HFO is burned, it also produces high levels of black carbon particles that are emitted into the environment through exhaust fumes. Not only is black carbon a dangerous pollutant linked to heart and lung disease, but the black particles it produces also reduce the reflectivity of Arctic snow and ice. This accelerates snow and ice melt, as more heat from the sun is absorbed rather than reflected. In fact, about 20 per cent of the climate warming impacts of global shipping can be attributed to black carbon.

Facing a rising tide of underwater noise

More ships in Arctic waters has also increased underwater noise. Ship propellers create tiny bubbles and when these bubbles collapse, they produce noise. According to a recent Arctic Council report, the amount of underwater noise in some parts of the Arctic Ocean has doubled in just six years as the result of increased shipping. This is especially alarming considering it took between 30 and 40 years for oceans in other parts of the world to see a similar increase.

Underwater noise pollution is known to harm marine life—everything from shellfish to important fish stocks to whales. All marine mammals rely on sound to locate food, find mates, navigate, avoid predators and care for their young. The Arctic Ocean’s cold temperatures and other oceanographic conditions also enable sound from ships to travel long distances at shallow water depths. This means that underwater noise is concentrated within the swimming and diving ranges of whales, walrus and seals. Even a small increase in ship traffic can have a significant impact on the acoustic environment of the Arctic Ocean compared to other oceans around the world.

Working to make shipping more sustainable

The bottom line is that increased shipping and industrial activity in the Arctic would not be happening if not for the melting sea ice—and this is a direct result of the climate crisis. The obvious answer is to immediately curb greenhouse emissions. But even if that were to be accomplished in the near future, it would not stop the retreat of the Arctic sea ice within this century. Action is needed on many fronts, including making changes to the shipping industry.

Shipping provides an essential service that Arctic communities rely on by bringing important supplies to the region. But the sector must quickly transition to lower-emission fuels and methods of propulsion to ensure its sustainability. Switching to distillate fuels would reduce black carbon emissions by some 40 per cent and installing particulate filters on ship engines would reduce emissions by more than 90 per cent.

Turning down the volume of ship noise

The Arctic Ocean is one of the planet’s last natural “sound sanctuaries” for marine life—but it is being inundated with underwater noise due to human activity. By adopting responsible routing measures—such as developing shipping lanes, traffic separation schemes, precautionary areas and areas to avoid throughout the year—we can reduce the effect of shipping and safeguard important Arctic habitats. Developing and implementing tighter regulations on ship speeds in sensitive areas for biodiversity and technological solutions on ship and propeller design would also help to reduce the underwater noise that is putting Arctic marine life at risk.

Although voluntary guidelines were put in place in 2014 by the International Maritime Organization to curb the impacts of underwater noise from ships, they have been largely ineffective due to low uptake  and are currently being revised. WWF supports the revision of the guidelines but is also calling for mandatory measures to keep underwater noise at safe levels for marine life. Practically, this could include reducing sailing speeds and the use of quieter propellers.. Revising these guidelines—and moving to mandatory measures—may remove the barriers that have hindered their effectiveness.

The time to take steps to address the rising level of underwater noise in the Arctic is now, not after the impacts have already taken a toll.