Behaviour of Oil and Other Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Spilled in Arctic Waters (BoHaSA)

Abstract

Norway initiated the BoHaSa project in response to a request in the Salekhard Declaration. The BoHaSa report presents a compilation of current knowledge and expertise on the behaviour of hazardous substances in Arctic waters to promote the development and use of technologies and working methods that improve the ability to respond to accidents involving such substances.

The report outlines some of the risks present in the Arctic associated with oil and HNS shipping activities as well as the international transportation protocols and conventions which apply to these substances, past incidents involving these substances, and summarizes shipping trends. The main body of the report contains a summary of what is known about the behaviour of various spilled substances, HNS and oil, in Arctic conditions.