Among the funded projects is the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s application, “Use of satellite data for safer and more resource-efficient ship transport and research expeditions in ice-covered waters.”

The project will develop and test new methods to convert satellite data into detailed, operational information about ice conditions. The goal is to improve navigation, reduce fuel consumption and enable safer research operations in the Arctic, where rapid changes in the ice create increasing challenges for both science and shipping.

– For those of us who plan and carry out research expeditions in polar areas, access to reliable data on ice conditions is absolutely crucial. With this funding, we can make better use of modern satellite technology and develop tools that provide a more detailed picture of how the ice moves and changes. This allows us to make even more informed decisions – both in the planning phase and when working on board in the Arctic, says Åsa Lindgren, Deputy Director and Head of Department for the Ship-Based Research Support at the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

Safe and efficient ice navigation – supported by new satellite technology

Thinner and more mobile sea ice means the Arctic ice regime is changing faster than before, affecting everything from transport and fisheries to advanced research expeditions. Despite major advances in space-based observations, there is still insufficient high-resolution information about ice-covered waters to fully support navigation in the most complex ice conditions.

Through this project, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat aims to strengthen this capability by:

• using new high-resolution radar observations (SAR)
• improving algorithms for analysing ice drift, deformation and thickness
• creating tools that can be used directly when planning and conducting expeditions
• validating satellite data using ice-drift buoys and field measurements during the 2026 and 2027 expeditions

Significant societal benefit – from research to infrastructure and preparedness

In its press release, the Swedish National Space Agency emphasises that the initiative will strengthen public actors’ ability to use satellite data in work related to climate, the environment and sustainable societal development. Better information about ice conditions provides direct societal benefits through:

• safer ship transport and research in ice-covered seas
• reduced fuel consumption and lower climate impact
• improved preparedness for rapidly changing ice and weather conditions
• enhanced forecasting through coupled climate and ocean models

The knowledge generated is also central to the EU project Polar Connect, which aims to build a future fibre-optic submarine cable across the Arctic to ensure fast and robust digital infrastructure between Europe and Asia. The cable must be laid and maintained in areas with complex ice dynamics, where high-resolution satellite-based information will be essential.

Strengthening Swedish polar research

The project strengthens Sweden’s role as a leading polar research nation, in line with the government’s priorities to:

• strengthen climate and environmental preparedness
• develop digital infrastructure in the Arctic
• contribute to a safe and stable Arctic based on research and international cooperation