An opinion voiced in Barents Observer this week:
The author, Austin Felter is a Graduate Student with the The Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington D.C.
For the same reasons UK forces are improving their Arctic fighting abilities by training in Northern Norway:
The rapid changes happening in the Arctic doesn’t on affect politics and military preparedness. Changes in climate affects flora and fauna as well:
The Governor of Svalbard is not Starstruck:
The King visits the garrison at the Russian border:
Conscript soldiers waiting to receive the King. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Old Arctic news:
Early March start of the Yenisay shipping season:
Docked in the ice and discharging. Photo: Vankor Neft on VK
Global warming may be bad for the majority, but could be good for those living in the High North:
Not only the climate is “hoting up” in the high north
Micro plastic is found in the air as well as the sea and all over the world, incl. in the Arctic:
Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world. Originally started as a mining town in 1916 by a company from Ålesund called Kings Bay Coal Company:
https://kingsbay.no/history/
Since the 1960s it has been a base for scientific research and a satellite earth station.
It is home for 35 people year around, with many more during the summer months.
It’s importance has increased with the interest in global warming:
Outlook for the next few centuries:
The Chinese are coming to fill the void after the western nation withdrew from the Russian Arctic:
Anybody have any insight into the problems they are having? Are they all really in the “to be expected “ category?
In July, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Director Kim Ellis said the maintenance included improvements to the hydraulic control system within the propulsion system clutches. However, while these works were carried out, ‘an unexpected issue was discovered in the large couplings that connect the propulsion shafts with the clutches,’ stated Ellis.
As a result, builder Damen Shipyards determined that the shaft couplings needed replacing. However, as Ellis pointed out at the time: ‘delivery timeframes for replacement couplings are lengthy, driven to a large extent by material shortages and supply chain issues.’ This meant the Nuyina was not expected to return to service until March, which has now been pushed back even further to April.
Not everybody is happy with the conscript:
Difficult winter and late start this year doesn’t mean the future will be the same: