Arctic Maritime Infrastructure: Government-wide and Coast Guard Strategies Lack a Means to Measure Progress

Arctic sea ice has diminished, lengthening the navigation season and increasing opportunities for maritime shipping. However, the lack of maritime infrastructure exacerbates risks inherent to the Arctic such as vast distances and dangerous weather.

This statement discusses the U.S. Arctic maritime shipping trends since 2009, the extent to which federal actions have been informed by risk, and the Government-wide and Coast Guard strategies to address maritime infrastructure and assess outcomes.