Overview of Tanker Lightering in Arctic Alaska

Nuka Research was contracted by Ocean Conservancy to develop a report, Overview of Tanker Lightering in Arctic Alaska, to provide a general description on the process of tanker lightering operations in the region. Tanker lightering is the process of transferring petroleum cargo from one vessel to another and is essential for delivering fuel to Western … Read more

Community Spill Response Planning in Canadian High Arctic

As sea ice diminishes in Arctic regions, shipping patterns are changing, and so are the risks to northern communities. Nuka Research is working with a team of agencies and non-governmental organizations to support oil spill preparedness for remote Inuit communities faced with shipping risks from increased traffic through the Northwest Passage (read more). This project … Read more

Arctic Shipping and Oil Spills: A Learning Exchange for Communities

Elise DeCola, General Manager and Principal Consultant, facilitates a group discussion on Arctic shipping risks and oil spill preparedness in Iqaluit, Nunavut (November 2017).

Diminishing sea ice and development pressures have led to increased Arctic shipping, which in turn increases the risk of oil spills from ships. The impacts of a spill would be borne by the communities in the region, who depend on healthy and clean marine waters for the majority of their food. Despite the severe consequences … Read more

Arctic Shipping and Oil Spills Learning Exchange for Communities

As sea ice diminishes in Arctic regions, shipping patterns are changing, and so are the risks to northern communities. While Inuit communities in Canada’s eastern Arctic are facing new risks, Indigenous communities from other parts of Canada and the U.S. have experience engaging with ship-source oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response. WWF-Canada convened a Learning … Read more

Oil Spill Response Gap Analysis

Nuka Research analyzed how frequently conditions that may preclude marine oil spill response occur in the U.S. Arctic Ocean. This oil spill response gap, or response viability, project began with a literature review to establish operating limits for mechanical recovery, dispersant, and in-situ burning spill response tactics in terms of winds, waves, air temperature, sea … Read more