Thematic Network on Arctic Transport and Logistics

The  knowledge of arctic logistics and transportation will be integrated into new educational programs and communicated to Arctic businesses, government authorities and other Arctic stakeholders through various networking opportunities. This allows ATL to promote more environmentally-friendly and sustainable logistics operations and industrial activities in the circumpolar Arctic.

The ATL will analyze ship traffic in the circumpolar Arctic and developing traffic patterns driven largely by several large-scale energy and mining projects. Transport and logistics challenges due to remoteness, harsh Arctic climatic conditions and ice-covered waters, and lack of necessary support infrastructure, make year-round operations difficult. Project logistics of several commercial projects will be evaluated and analyzed as case studies. This includes assessments of risk and operational conditions of shipping in ice-covered Arctic waters.

Though the main focus will be on Arctic maritime transport and logistics operations, port and maritime infrastructure development and Arctic shipping routes, intermodal connections with other modes of transport will also be highlighted and analyzed. This includes maritime connections to river transport, railways, roadways, pipeline infrastructure and to aviation facilities within the Arctic. The ATL members will work on modeling such an innovative, green, optimized and interconnected transport and logistics system for the Arctic.

• Facilitate collaborative research between ATL members on transport and logistics in the circumpolar Arctic.
• Establish research teams on specific topics related to Arctic transport and logistics and jointly apply for national and international research funding; assess all potential sources of funding for joint research.
• Promote green logistics solutions as a way to minimize the environmental impacts of shipping and other Arctic commercial operations.
• Facilitate the use of best available knowledge and up-to-date research results in the implementation of future Arctic projects.
• Built-up close cooperation on Arctic logistics with business partners, public authorities, indigenous representatives and other key Arctic stakeholders.
• Engage with international forums such as the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) and Arctic Economic Council’s Working Group on Maritime Transportation.
• Facilitate the use of case studies and scenario analysis to highlight logistical challenges in different part of the Arctic and possible logistical solutions.
• Determine the demand for new educational programs with focus on Arctic logistics and transport infrastructure development. Promote the development of a joint master's degree program on Arctic transport and logistics with ATL members, as well as professional short courses for practitioners.
• Provide opportunities for student exchange, practitioner mobility as well as faculty mobility among the ATL members, in order to strengthen knowledge exchange and research collaboration in the field of Arctic transport and logistics.
• Dissemination of information through conferences and workshops, publications of research results.

More information and past activities can be found here.

Kjell Stokvik, Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Transports and Logistics