Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait

The Bering Strait is experiencing a significant increase in vessel transits due to climate-driven sea ice decline and the expansion of the Northern Sea Route. This growth elevates risks of oil spills, ship strikes on marine mammals, and pollution in a biologically productive region vital to Indigenous subsistence. While the IMO approved two-way routes and Areas to Be Avoided in 2018, the report argues that current frameworks like the Polar Code have gaps regarding heavy fuel oil and underwater noise. WWF recommends that the US and Russia collaborate to implement e-navigation technologies, a joint Sea Traffic Coordination Center, and a transboundary Area to Be Avoided around the Diomede Islands, alongside industry-led speed restrictions and zero-discharge zones.

• Ship traffic in the Bering Strait has increased significantly over the last decade, rising from 262 AIS-recorded transits in 2009 to approximately 494 in 2019.
• The decline of Arctic summer sea ice is facilitating increased commercial traffic, including LNG tankers from Russian ports in the Kara and Barents Seas and expected growth in cruise tourism.
• The Bering Strait is a critical biological corridor for several species, including at least 17,000 bowhead whales that migrate north from the Bering Sea, as well as gray whales, belugas, and Pacific walruses.
• The Polar Code, adopted by the IMO in 2014, contains significant gaps as it does not address risks from heavy fuel oil, grey water, underwater noise, or the concerns of local Indigenous subsistence activities.
• In 2018, the IMO approved recommended two-way routes and Areas to Be Avoided (ATBAs) around St. Lawrence, King, and Nunivak Islands to enhance safety and environmental protection.
• Maritime safety in the region is hindered by a lack of infrastructure, including only three ports on the Alaskan side (Nome, Kotzebue, and the DeLong Mountain Terminal at Red Dog Mine), and the absence of a permanent US Coast Guard presence in the Strait.
• WWF recommends the adoption of Sea Traffic Management (STM) and the creation of a US-Russian Sea Traffic Coordination Center (STCC) to provide real-time data exchange and monitor vessel adherence to route plans.
• The report suggests establishing a transboundary Area to Be Avoided (ATBA) surrounding the Diomede Islands and implementing speed restrictions of 10 knots to reduce bowhead whale mortalities.
• Indigenous communities in the Bering Strait have advocated for the entire region to be designated as a zero-discharge zone to prevent pollution from shipping activities.

APA

WWF International (2020). Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/821/3w8rtbuh00_WWF_Bering_Straits_Shipping_Report_UPDATE.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait. 2020. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/821/3w8rtbuh00_WWF_Bering_Straits_Shipping_Report_UPDATE.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait |date=April 2020 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/821/3w8rtbuh00_WWF_Bering_Straits_Shipping_Report_UPDATE.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2020safety, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Safety at the Helm: A Plan for Smart Shipping through the Bering Strait}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/821/3w8rtbuh00_WWF_Bering_Straits_Shipping_Report_UPDATE.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }