Communications and positioning
ments in both positioning and communications
Rosenberg (1993) reports that satellites make
systems are ongoing.
voice and fax communications available to ships
in all areas of the Arctic below 80N latitude. The
Inmarsat system, for example, can be used to send
RUSSIAN ARCTIC SEAPORTS
and receive a variety of communications, includ-
ing positioning and navigational information, ice
The role of ports under Soviet rule
and weather forecasts, and emergency and dis-
The NSR is considered navigable year-round
tress transmissions. This system enables the NIC's
from Murmansk to Dudinka, except for the period
auto-polled products to be transmitted directly to
May through June when the river ice is going out
ships. Various commercial firms also offer routing
(DMA 1993). According to streng and Jrgensen-
products that can be telefaxed regularly to client
Dahl (1991), there were nine significant seaports
ships. For example, weather forecasts and route
along the NSR. These were Amderma, Dikson,
recommendations provided by OceanRoutes, Inc.,
Khatanga, Tiksi, Pevek, and Mys Shmidta near the
were transmitted to a Finnish tanker for its three
coastline, and the ports of Dudinka and Igarka on
voyages from Arkhangel'sk to the Yana River in
the Yenisey River and Zelenyy Mys on the Kolyma
1993. Laapio* of Neste Shipping reported that the
River. They stated that there were also approxi-
OceanRoutes products were used and well re-
mately 100 other locations where no permanent
garded by the Russian pilot on board.
facilities exist but cargo is exchanged. One prac-
Extensive information about radio navigation
tice that is common along Russia's shallow Arctic
and positioning systems in use on the Northern
coastline is on- and offloading of cargo directly
Sea Route is found in the NSR sailing guides by
from and to the ice using the ships' own lifting
Kjerstad (1994) and RSMOT (in prep.). Ushakov et
equipment. Where a ship's draft may be too great
al. (1991) and Kjerstad (1992) state that, in the last
to enter shallow coastal waters, the fast-ice edge
50 years, the Russians have installed more than
can serve for wharfing purposes. The ship is se-
2,500 navigation markers, light buoys, light bea-
cured alongside or in the ice, and cargo is trans-
cons, radio beacons, radar reflectors, and radar
ferred to and from vehicles driven out to the ship.
beacon responders throughout the Arctic. Radio
Under the FSU, overall coordination and con-
navigation is by way of their hyperbolic MARS-75
trol of the marine and river ports systems rested
system, which is similar in operation to the U.S.
with the ministries of the Merchant Marine and
Loran-C system, though the two are not compat-
River Transport, respectively. These two minis-
ible. It has an operating range exceeding 1000 km
tries once centrally managed all water transport
from each of its three coastal links, providing es-
by determining investment decisions, service ar-
sentially complete coverage of the route, and it
rangements, productivity targets, and fees for ser-
has better than 250-m accuracy. This system is be-
vices. Centralization made possible regional spe-
ing phased out in favor of newer technology. The
cialization. Most ports and cargo carriers were
Chaika radio navigation system, which is compat-
thus developed and managed for specific purposes
ible with Loran-S, operates for the Barents and
in support of the overall Union plan. The day-to-
Kara Seas.
day management of each port, however, was del-
Satellite navigation systems, such as the Navi-
egated to a single, regional shipping company.
gator (U.S.) and the Glonass (Russian), which will
The Murmansk Shipping Company, for example,
provide continuous and global coverage, are cur-
was responsible for the ports of Murmansk and
rently in development. Their deployment is ex-
Kandalaksha, and the Northern Shipping Com-
pected in 1995. Reporting on his experiments us-
pany (based in Arkhangel'sk) controlled the ports
ing a Global Positioning System satellite receiver
of Arkhangel'sk, Amderma, Mezen, Nar'yan Mar,
aboard the SA-15 Kapitan Danilkin, Kjerstad (1992)
and Onega.
concluded that coverage en route from Mur-
Aside from issues related to overall Union pros-
mansk to the Bering Strait was continuous. He
perity, most aspects of individual port manage-
also stated that the ship had both Russian and
ment were the responsibility of the shipping com-
Western navigation equipment installed. Improve-
panies. They managed and maintained everything
related to water transportation in their respective
regions. That is, they were responsible for port
facilities, navigation aids, channel dredging, ma-
* J. Laapio, 1993, Neste Shipping, personal communi-
rine support, and so forth. In addition, they also
cation.
41
Previous Page
