Summary of Working Paper No. 26-1995

I.4.1: Content of Database. Volume 1 – 1993 Project Work.

By Alexander Baskin and Loly Tsoy, Central Marine Research and Design Institute, St.Petersburg, Sergey Brestkin, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St.Petersburg, Russia, et al.

PART I: "Database on technical, economical and ice properties of existing ice cargo ships"

Prepared is the database on technical, operational and cost characteristics as well as on ice properties of domestic arctic navigation cargo ships being assigned ice strengthening categories ULA, UL and L1 in the class symbols of the Russian Sea Register. The comprehensive information on each ship will allow to any potential shipper, freighter, lease holder to find most optimal solutions for the safe and efficient version of the delivery of cargo along the Northern Sea Route.

This database may be used as a part of mathematical models to solve practical problems on the assessment of the efficiency of cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route depending on the type of transport, ship's parameters and navigational conditions. The database is arranged in files of the dBASE III PLUS structure.

PART II: “Development of the base of cartography data in the form of electronic catalogue of charts”

The study of existing traditional and electronic maps on the NSR was executed. The first versions of electronic maps catalogue were compiled and the most suitable form was chosen. The concept and structure of the electronic catalogue was worked out.

PART III: “Description of the existing database of navigational routes and environmental conditions there, by different areas of the NSR in different seasons”

The contents of the database on the environmental characteristics, which can be used in the interests of INSROP (for the justification of a possible international shipping along the NSR, organization of planning and operational support, a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness and safety of transit navigation in various seasons, modelling of ship motion in the ice) has been identified on a preliminary basis. The volume, quality and organization level of the data available at the AARI are assessed, the initial data, data sets on technical media, databases of a different degree of completeness are described. General requirements to the structure and software of the databases, created in the framework of INSROP are formulated.

The results of the activities to set up the World Data Center "Sea-Ice" (WDC-B), as well as to create databases on a wide range of characteristics, databases on ice and meteorological conditions on standard and optimal navigation routes along the NSR, carried out at the AARI, are described. The prospects for the development of specialized databases are assessed.