Arctic Council strengthens cooperation on search and rescue in Arctic regions 

In late May 2010, the Danish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council held a meeting with participation of civil servants from the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Canada and the USA. An important issue on the agenda was a strengthening of the search and rescue preparedness in the Arctic regions. Especially, an increasing number of cruise ships means that an improved rescue preparedness is necessary – a view that enjoys general support among the member States.

For example, the countries of the Arctic Council are in the process of drawing up a cooperative agreement intended to make it easier to get additional assistance from other countries’ rescue services in case of a ship accident. Especially in relation to cruise ships, it is important to be able to use all the resources of the Arctic countries since the many passengers on board these ships can mean that they need assistance from several rescue ships.

Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority Andreas Nordseth concludes:

“At the meeting, important progress was made as regards a cooperative agreement on coordination of the countries’ rescue preparedness. I think that it is very positive that there is such great support for establishing an improved level of the rescue preparedness in the Arctic region in the light of the increasing number of ships navigating in the area.”

The Danish Maritime Authority expects that the agreement will be ready for signature by the eight Arctic states in connection with the meeting between the Arctic ministers and foreign ministers in 2011.

More information about the meeting is available here.