Pillar: Safety

New Regulation on Field Safety in Svalbard Introduces Guide Approval Scheme

New Nautical Charts Improve Navigation Safety Around Svalbard

The Norwegian Cruise Conference: Advancing Sustainable Cruising

The recent Norwegian Cruise Conference highlighted the latest developments in sustainable practices and regulatory adaptation within the cruise industry. Trine Krystad, AECO’s head of Government Affairs summarizes the event.

Navigating Polar Waters: Insights from the 2025 Polar Maritime Seminar

The polar shipping industry is growing—and so are its complexities. As expedition cruising gives opportunities for tourism in some of the world's most remote and fragile regions, the 2025 Polar Maritime Seminar in London highlighted the need for responsible and sustainable practices. Melissa Nacke, AECO’s head of Operations, shares the key takeaways from this stakeholder-heavy event.

The Icy Edge of Cybersecurity – Are Your Operations Secure?

From Research to Reality: New Knowledge Base Empowers Arctic Guides

Research Collaboration

If you have a research proposal in mind and wish to collaborate with AECO, please consider the following guidelines to ensure a successful partnership.

Citizen Science Projects

For guides, bridge officers and guests.

JASA

The Joint Arctic SAR Arena (JASA) was established in 2023 to create a dedicated network for following up on findings from Search and Rescue (SAR) exercises in the Arctic.

Crowd Sourcing of Depth Sounding

Member contributions to depth soundings.

NEPTUNE

Could expedition cruise vessels be an oil spill response asset in the Arctic?

ARCSAR

The Arctic Security Preparedness Network (ARCSAR) project, launched in 2018, has served as a critical platform for AECO since joining as one of 21 international partners.

“Everyone will leave with lessons identified and lessons learned.”

Focusing on AECO operators as vessels of opportunity, the TTX will engage everyone in the room on the issues of passenger management during evacuations, all things related to communication, and handling medical emergency situations.

Joint Arctic Search and Rescue (JASA) Network Established.

The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) initiative for a collaborative network and platform between expedition cruise operators and SAR entities in the Arctic has met for the first time. The Joint Arctic Search and Rescue Arena (JASA) will focus on solving identified SAR challenges.

Joint Arctic SAR Event Report | Turning Findings Into Actions

Lufttransport, AECO and the Governor of Svalbard launch heli-rescue training video