Evolving sea ice conditions haven’t made sailing in the Arctic any simpler. If anything, increasingly complex ice regimes, year-round operations and new trade patterns are raising the stakes for shipowners who need to keep people, assets and schedules safe in some of the harshest waters on the planet. In this episode of Setting Course, an ABS Podcast, Rob Hindley of Railotech (formerly Aker Arctic), Dr. Oscar De Silva of Memorial University of Newfoundland, and ABS Senior Engineer Ed Moakler join host Brad Cox to explore how new data and tools are reshaping Arctic navigation. They discuss ICESIGHTS, an ABS-led initiative that gathers and interprets sea ice information in real time, what that could mean for bridge teams, and how operational data can loop back into future ice-class ship design and life cycle decisions. Share this episode on social media, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform or send feedback to podcast@eagle.org. Learn more about how ABS is supporting the maritime industry at www.eagle.org. Takeaways The Arctic shipping landscape is evolving as conditions in the region continue to change.Year-round transportation in the Arctic is now feasible for some ship types.Data availability is increasing, enhancing operational decision-making.The ICESIGHTS system aims to provide real-time guidance for navigation.AI can complement traditional physics models in ice navigation.Guests Rob Hindley is Head of Consulting and Technology Development at Railotech. His role involves leading the practical application of arctic technology to new, and often novel, ice-going ship designs, transportation systems and offshore structures. Previously Rob worked for Lloyd’s Register, where he held overall technical authority for ice class, winterization and implementation of the Polar Code. This included an assignment representing IACS at the IMO during the development of the Polar Code and coordinating the development of POLARIS, an ice risk evaluation system used to set operational limitations for ships in polar waters. He is a Chartered Engineer, a fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture from Newcastle University. He is currently undertaking postgraduate study at Aalto University with a focus on arctic shipping risks and regulations. Dr. Oscar De Silva, PhD, P.Eng., SMIEEE, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. He received his PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland. His expertise is in sensing and navigation system development for platform autonomy using model-based and certifiable data-driven approaches. Prior to joining academia, he worked as a research fellow on computer vision systems with the American Bureau of Shipping Harsh Environment Technology Center in St. John’s. At Memorial University, he leads an NSERC-funded research program on resilient navigation for autonomous platforms. His group collaborates with ABS to develop AI-assisted multi-sensor ice navigation system integration and software for Arctic vessel field trials. Ed Moakler, P.Eng, is a Senior Engineer with the ABS Harsh Environment Technology and Digital Research Center (HET&DRC), located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Ed specializes in ice mechanics, ice load monitoring system design and operation, vessel capability in ice assessments, advanced structural analysis, and the application of the IMO Polar Code. Ed is responsible for the upkeep of the ABS Ice Class Rules and Ice Class specific tools, both in house and external.
