The Greenland Ice Service

Duties of the ice service

It is the duty of the Ice Service to collect and distribute information about the ice conditions in the Greenland waters, mainly as ice charts and primarily for the safety of the ships in the area. The various tasks are handled by DMI and are performed in cooperation with personnel stationed at the Ice Service in Narsarsuaq and the personnel at DMI, Lyngbyvej 100 in Copenhagen.

The Ice Service is located at the airstrip in Narsarsuaq in Greenland, position: 61°10' N, 45°25' W. The Ice Service is a part of the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), Ice Charting and Remote Sensing Division.

Ice charting is primarily based on information received from satellite pictures which are prepared by skilled ice charting personnel, partly via our own ice reconnaissances by way of a helicopter and partly via observations from the ships. Ice reconnaissances and pilotages are done throughout the year by use of a AS 350 B2 Ecureuil helicopter which is stationed in Narsarsuaq.

The primary ice charting is made within the three superior charting areas and are only done id one of the primary users has a need for it.
The waters around Nunap Isua/Cape Farewell (A) are charted year round while the other coastal areas are charted as needed; the West coast (B) in connection with islæg og opbrud; the East coast (C) primarily during the navigable season - July-September.

The products
The most important products of the Ice Service are: Ice charts, ice reports - including reports of the placement of the ice edge, (the reduced ice edge) and pilotaging of ships. Ice charts and information about the reduced ice edge are produced on the basis of satellite images while ice reports are based on inshore helicopter reconnaissance. Ice pilotaging are primarily done by way of a helicopter, but often can also be done by way of satellite data.

Information about the spreading, concentration and type of ice is used by shipping yards and authorities for tactical purposes in connection with solving any given task or the actual sailing trip in addition to planning purposes. Information about the sea ice is thus a part of the basis for a safe and timely transport of cargo and passengers for the benefit of the Greenland society.
Additionally, information about sea ice come into play in connection with inspection tasks, enforcement of sovereignty and rescue operations.
Navigable ice charts are released as need by and agreed upon by the primary user groups for Cape Farewell typically 3-5 times a week in the great ice season. Once a week a summary ice chart are released which covers all the Greenland waters.

The three largest users are the two shipping companies Royal Arctic Line and Arctic Umiaq Line in addition to The Greenland Command (GLK). All of the Ice Service's regular products are geared towards servicing these three users.
Apart from that a long line of other users take advantage of the products of the Ice Service, among these especially trawlers and a line of smaller fishing boats.