Exercise Simulates Polar SAR Effort to Understand Region’s Challenges
With the growth of the number of vessels operating in the polar regions, safety and the challenges that would be involved in a search and rescue operation have only grown in importance. Beyond the highly-sophisticated research vessels that head into the Arctic and Antarctic each year, an increasing number of exploration cruise ships are heading into the polar regions to provide passengers with unique experiences. Recently, an international effort undertook the world’s first international search and rescue exercise (SAREX) in a remote polar zone.
The search and rescue exercise was performed to identify and address the challenges, constraints, and opportunities involved in Arctic Massive Rescue Operations (AMRO) in remote polar areas, in order to support safe navigation in polar waters. The exercise brought together teams from Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, the United States, and Norway and included the participation of Bureau Veritas. The international initiative involved academic experts, the ship’s officers, and crew, as well as remotely connected teams and head office management. Read on.