Lydia has a professional and academic background spanning the museum, heritage and maritime sectors
Arctic Maritime Safety
Researching historical perspectives on current safety challenges in the arctic ocean economy.
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Duration
This project's duration was 2024 - 2026
Value of grant
£500,000
Partner info
The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a network of universities, colleges, research institutes, and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North.
Contact details
This programme is a partnership between Lloyd's Register Foundation and the University of the Arctic, and is exploring how lessons from the past can help address today's challenges to the safety of people in the Arctic Ocean economy.
Overview
The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is running a research fellowship programme funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation. The programme is part of a partnership exploring 'maritime safety: learning from the past to address challenges to the safety of peoples in the Arctic.'
The maritime Arctic is undergoing profound changes. Climate change is reducing sea ice cover, opening up new sea routes, and affecting the distribution of commercial fisheries, as well as impacting global weather systems. We have seen a steady increase in ship traffic of all kinds across the Arctic: more fishing vessels, merchant ships, research vessels and cruise ships. This presents both opportunities and challenges for Indigenous and local communities, such as communities in Inuit Nunangat or commercial fishing communities in Iceland. It also presents new risks to the environment and to the safety of these communities as well as the people onboard ships.
However, these changes are not only impacting the present, but have also done so in the past. People have explored new Arctic routes for generations and transitioned between different means of powering ships and the infrastructures to support them. We have an opportunity to learn from the past to help us better navigate the challenges of today and to do so in a way that is equitable and inclusive.
The programme is taking this opportunity, and is doing so in a way that builds both connections and capacities for maritime research in the Arctic. Its aims are:
- To deliver new insights, evidence and case materials to policy and change makers, and in parallel explore further opportunities for collaboration.
- To substantially raise the profile of safety as a key issue in future management of the highly complex Arctic marine system at a time of profound environmental and geopolitical change.
Visit the UArctic website for more information on the programme. If you would like to collaborate with the Arctic Maritime Safety Programme, contact our programme manager using the details below.
