UArctic x LRF Fellows: Professor Dewan Ahsan featured in Seatrade Cruise Review
Professor Dewan Ahsan, UArctic x LRF Research Fellow and Co-head of the Danish Centre for Risk and Safety Management at the University of Southern Denmark, is featured in the March 2026 issue of Seatrade Cruise Review. In the interview, he highlights critical search and rescue (SAR) challenges in Arctic cruise tourism, drawing on his expertise in risk management and sustainable maritime operations in polar regions.
Professor Dewan Ahsan, UArctic x LRF Research Fellow and Co Head of the Danish Centre for Risk and Safety Management in the Department of Business and Sustainability at the University of Southern Denmark, has been featured in the March 2026 issue of Seatrade Cruise Review (a well reputed business magazine within the cruise and maritime industry) where he highlights critical Search and Rescue (SAR) challenges in Arctic cruise tourism. Professor Ahsan also serves as the Danish Representative in the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) for the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2027.
The quarterly publication, produced by Seatrade Cruise News, highlights Professor Ahsan’s expertise in risk and safety management and sustainable cruise tourism business in polar regions, with a focus on emergency preparedness and SAR in Arctic.
Arctic cruise tourism is booming, but is search and rescue (SAR) capacity keeping pace?
A central theme of the interview is the widening gap between cruise activity and emergency response capacity in the Arctic. In the interview, Professor Ahsan highlights that while climate change is accelerating cruise business in Arctic regions by opening new shipping routes, it is also increasing operational risks and intensifying pressure on SAR capacities. The expansion of cruise tourism in destinations such as Svalbard, Iceland, and Greenland raises significant safety concerns related to rising numbers of cruise vessels and passengers, limited SAR infrastructure and response capabilities under harsh weather conditions, challenges in multisectoral stakeholder coordination during large scale SAR operations and also risks associated with both technological and human failures.
Balancing Cruise Tourism Business with Sustainability in the Arctic
As Arctic cruise tourism continues to expand, Professor Ahsan warns that rapid growth will only be sustainable if potential safety risks are properly managed. He stresses that operating in polar waters is fundamentally different from conventional cruise environments, requiring a shift from a reactive emergency management mindset focused on compliance with the Polar Code and SOLAS to a more proactive approach to emergency management. This proactive approach raises concerns about the technological and organizational readiness required for rapid, coordinated SAR response, particularly in mass evacuation scenarios.
In this context, Professor Ahsan points to the need for stricter measures, including limits on passenger numbers and vessels, enhanced polar survival training for crews, improved risk communication among stakeholders, the development of designated protected zones in the High North where cruise activities are restricted, and greater safety awareness among passengers.
Prof Ahsan also underscores the critical role of expedition teams, the offshore oil sector, and local communities in strengthening preparedness and response efforts, particularly during large scale search and rescue operations that demand close coordination between public and private stakeholders.