Plan on navigating the Northwest Passage? Plan again.

The U.S. tanker MANHATTAN navigates the Northwest Passage in 1969, making it the first commercial ship to make the voyage.

Canada is moving to assert even more control of its Northern most waters.  The Canadian Prime Minister announced that Canada would be requiring mandatory reporting of any vessels traveling through Canadian portions of the Northwest Passage.  The reporting was previously voluntary and monitored by the Canadian Coast Guard’s NORDREG division. Finding out exactly how and where to make that report however seems somewhat mysterious.  A quick google search for NORDREG and Canada doesn’t turn up very much information besides an international arctic energy producers association.  From what I can tell, a ship traveling through the Northwest Passage tomorrow would simply voluntarily contact their nearest Canadian Coast Guard Maritime Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) via VHF radio.

Canada is also working to pass legislation that would extend Canadian control of arctic waters from 100NM offshore to 200NM offshore.  Which may draw irritation and worry amongst Canada’s arctic neighbors who are all also trying to assert more influence and control in the rapidly warming region.  The U.S. has spent this summer performing arctic reconnaissance flights, and operation studies with its Coast Guard assets in a operation named “Operation Salliq“.  Navigational safety is not the only concern in this region…rights to minerals and oil are more important than ever and make the individual efforts of each bordering country highly watched by everyone.

Report about the S/S Manhattan crossing – The U.S. vessel that was far ahead of her time and who’s un-permitted passage resulted in Canada passing the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act in 1970.  It is this very act that Canada wishes to revise to extend enforcement ju