Ice navigation assitance with satellite images

Any journey in the ice-infested waters of the Arctic Ocean is a journey into the unknown with no up-to-date detailed map of the ice conditions readily available in such a remote region of the world.

KSAT is now able to provide the latest satellite image from the European Space Agency satellite, Envisat and the Canadian Radarsat-1 satellites. Users will be able to connect to KSAT in Tromsø using an Iridium phone to access the latest radar satellite image of the sea ice conditions immediately ahead of them. KSAT can deliver the latest satellite image within half-an-hour of acquisition, enabling users to receive the very latest information on the sea ice conditions.

Studies in the Baltic Sea have estimated that using satellite data to navigate through sea ice can potentially reduce journey time by 20%. Other benefits include reduced fuel costs and less hull damage due to the ability to navigate the optimum route through the ice field. This also results in less time in dry dock for hull repair, providing extra days at sea for the operator/owner.