An aerial view of the port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. The grain terminal, rail link and quay facilities could play a key role in future year-round shipping between the Canadian hinterland and international markets. (Photo: Arctic Gateway Group)The Canadian port of Churchill on Hudson Bay could in f
On 9 September 2026, the Tara Polar Station reached its planned drift area in the central Arctic Ocean. In the background is the Chinese research icebreaker Xue Long 2, which helped Tara navigate through the pack ice to the selected ice floe. There, at 82°24′ N, 155°03′ E, the planned drift through
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a keystone species in the Southern Ocean’s food web. These small crustaceans are an important food source for whales, penguins, seals and fish. (Photo: Uwe Kils / Wikimedia Commons)The krill fishery in Antarctica has once again been brought to a premature close
The ‘Chukotka’ in the Arctic pack ice. (AI-generated illustration: PolarJournal)Russia’s expansion of its nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet is being delayed. The ‘Chukotka’, the next icebreaker in the Project 22220 class, is not due to enter service at the end of 2026 as planned, but not until 2027.T
The PanStar Acro in the port of Busan ahead of its first trial voyage via the Northern Sea Route to Europe. The 2,758 TEU container ship is set to explore new possibilities for a shorter sea route between South Korea and Europe. (Photo: PanStar Group)South Korea is entering the race for new shipping
The LNG plant on Melkøya near Hammerfest at dusk. On the right, the gas tanker Arctic Discoverer is docked at the terminal to be loaded. (Photo: Virtual-Pano / Wikimedia Commons)Norway intends to continue developing its oil and gas reserves in the Barents Sea – even though the European Union is crit
At around 7 pm on 15 August, the ‘Dubai Tower’ set sail from the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan. This marked the official start of the weekly summer service of the China-Europe Arctic Express (CAX) to Europe via the Arctic’s Northeast Passage. (Photo: Jiang Yushi / People’s Daily)Shipping along the Russian
The Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker ‘Rossiya’, part of Project 10510 ‘Lider’, is set to become the world’s most powerful icebreaker with an output of 120 megawatts (163,000 PS) and enable year-round shipping through the Northeast Passage. (Photo: Rosatomflot)With the construction of the new nucle
GTLK is responsible for the construction of the port complex and investment management. The new facilities include a 508 m² transfer station and three conveyor belts with a total length of 145.7 meters. (Photo: GTLK Press Service)New facilities at the Lawna coal transshipment complex in Murmansk hav
On rails to St. Petersburg: The first RITM-200S reactor pressure vessel leaves the ZiO-Podolsk plant near Moscow. (Photo: Rosatom)The Russian state-owned corporation Rosatom has made significant progress in its program for floating nuclear power plants. At the end of May, the first RITM-200S reactor
Due to the influence of tides and mechanical breakdown, plastic in water is transformed into microplastics. These are tiny plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm (up to 5000 micrometers). (Photo: Unsplash)While the world powers compete for control of the Arctic, a new and unexpected con
Krill fishing in the Southern Ocean is tightly managed, but new research shows that bycatch and local fishing pressure remain important concerns. Krill fishery and dependent wildlife in the Southern Ocean (Illustration: Léa Zinsli)Antarctic krill supports not only a unique marine ecosystem but also
Cold-adapted microbes produce enzymes that function at low temperatures, offering potential applications in industry and biotechnology. From ice to application: cold-adapted microbes and their biotechnological potential (Sketch: Léa Zinsli)Building on recent insights into how microbes survive in the
The recent closure of Mine 7 marks the end of Norwegian coal mining in Longyearbyen and reflects a broader shift toward new economic activities on Svalbard. View from Mine 7 overlooking Adventdalen, Svalbard (Photo: Léa Zinsli)The closure of Mine 7 on Svalbard marks the end of coal mining in Longyea
Yamal LNG facilities in Sabetta. (Photo: Novatek)The Arctic is gaining increasing international importance due to its vast natural resources, especially natural gas. Russia plays a central role in this context, particularly through its liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. However, since 2022, Weste
The Svalbard Treaty grants Norway sovereignty while ensuring equal access and peaceful use of the Arctic archipelago for all signatory nations. Signing of the Svalbard Treaty on 9 February 1920 by Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg, head of the Norwegian negotiating team(Photo: Photographer unknown/Governor of S
The icebreaker “50 Years of Victory” is now used not only for industrial purposes but also for exclusive trips to the North Pole and, despite its age, remains one of the most powerful vessels of its kind. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Russia, once a global leader in icebreaker construction, is facing a poten
New data from the Arctic Council shows a significant rise in vessel traffic, with nearly double the distance sailed by vessels since 2013. Ship in Arctic waters (Photo: Léa Zinsli)A recent report showed that shipping activity in the Arctic is reaching unprecedented levels, driven by longer ice-free
Atlantic herring lay their sticky eggs on the seafloor or on marine plants. A female can produce between 20,000 and 100,000 eggs, which adhere to stones, sand, algae, or seagrass. (Photo: Pixabay)A significant rise in temperatures in the Barents Sea is endangering the spawning grounds and food suppl
Casey’s old rubbish tip. All rubbish tips at Australian research stations were abolished in 1985. (Photo: AAD / Gavin Johnstone)Can waste management practices in Antarctica provide a model of sustainability for extreme environments? Last week, we left off with the following question: Is the principl
Three of the new icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard are currently being built at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland. (Photo: Helsinki Shipyard)The American shipbuilder Davie Defense has received a contract from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for the construction of five Arctic Security Cutters (AS
Old fuel drums near Beaver Lake. The lake was discovered in 1956 during an Australian expedition. In September 1957, Australian scientists set up a base camp here, using the lake as a landing strip for aeroplanes. (Photo: AAD / M. Woolridge)Can waste management practices in Antarctica provide a mode
In the Arctic zone of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Gazprom Neft has discovered one of the most significant oil fields of the past 30 years. Specialists studied the areas for three years using 2D and 3D seismic surveys before the new oil field was discovered. (Photo: Unsplash)In the Arctic zon
The search for the fifth recipient of the Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions has begun. The award is presented each year on the birthday of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and aims to highlight the global importance of these sensitive regions. As the Arctic increasingly moves
