INTAROS · Project

One-Stop Arctic Data Platform for Shipping, Fishing, and Resource Operations

environmentTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)

Imagine trying to plan a shipping route through the Arctic but having to check 20 different weather stations, ice charts, and ocean databases — each in a different format, from a different country. INTAROS built a single platform that pulls together Arctic data from atmosphere, ocean, ice, and land sensors across 20 countries into one searchable system. Think of it as a Google Maps for Arctic environmental conditions, where scattered puzzle pieces from Europe, North America, and Asia finally fit together. They also filled gaps where nobody was collecting data at all, deploying new sensors and even working with local Arctic communities to add ground-truth observations.

By the numbers

consortium partners collaborating on the system

countries contributing Arctic observation data

total project deliverables produced

industry partners in the consortium

demonstration deliverables showcasing working systems

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies operating in the Arctic — shipping lines, fishing fleets, resource extractors, insurers — need reliable environmental data to make safe and profitable decisions. But Arctic observation data is scattered across dozens of institutions in different countries, stored in incompatible formats, with significant gaps in coverage where nobody is collecting data at all. This fragmentation means higher risk, slower planning, and missed opportunities in one of the world's fastest-changing regions.

The solution

What was built

INTAROS built the integrated Arctic Observation System (iAOS): a searchable platform connecting distributed Arctic databases, a webGIS portal (V2) for data access and visualization, geostatistical tools for combining multisource data into decision-support products, Developer Cloud Sandboxes for custom data processing, and operational observing systems deployed across Greenland, ocean-sea ice, and atmosphere-land domains — all documented across 94 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Arctic shipping companies needing ice and weather route intelligenceCommercial fishing operators in sub-Arctic and Arctic watersEnvironmental risk consultancies assessing Arctic infrastructure projectsMarine insurance underwriters pricing Arctic voyage and operations riskOffshore energy companies planning Arctic exploration or operations

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Maritime Shipping & Logistics

enterprise

Target: Shipping companies operating Arctic routes

If you are a shipping company planning voyages through Arctic waters and dealing with unpredictable ice conditions and weather — this project developed an integrated Arctic Observation System (iAOS) that combines ocean, sea ice, and atmosphere data from 50 partner institutions across 20 countries into a single searchable platform. Instead of checking dozens of separate data sources, your route planners get unified, processed data products for better decision-making on ice avoidance and voyage timing.

Commercial Fisheries

mid-size

Target: Arctic and sub-Arctic fishing fleet operators

If you are a fishing company operating in Arctic or sub-Arctic waters and struggling to predict fish stock movements as ocean temperatures shift — this project built geostatistical tools that combine multisource ocean and ecosystem data into decision-support products. The iAOS platform integrates ocean temperature, sea ice extent, and marine ecosystem observations that directly affect fish migration patterns and catch planning.

Environmental Consulting & Insurance

any

Target: Risk assessment firms covering Arctic operations

If you are an environmental consultancy or insurance underwriter assessing risks for Arctic infrastructure and operations — this project delivered 94 deliverables including processing services that turn raw Arctic observation data into actionable risk products. The platform covers atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and terrestrial data, giving you a comprehensive environmental baseline for any Arctic region instead of piecemeal data collection.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost us to access this Arctic data platform?

The iAOS platform was built as an open research infrastructure, meaning the data portal and search tools are publicly accessible. Commercial integration or custom data products derived from the platform would need to be negotiated with the Nansen Center (coordinator) or relevant consortium partners. Based on available project data, no commercial pricing model is published.

Can this system handle the scale of our daily operations?

The platform integrates data from 50 institutions across 20 countries, covering ocean, atmosphere, ice, and land observations. It went through two development iterations (V1 and V2) with operational testing in Greenland, ocean-sea ice, and atmosphere-land systems. The geostatistical library was designed to support weather forecasting and climate model assimilation at regional scale.

Who owns the intellectual property and can we license the tools?

INTAROS was funded as a Research and Innovation Action under Horizon 2020, meaning IP typically stays with the consortium partners who developed each component. The consortium includes 50 partners — licensing specific tools like the geostatistical algorithms or processing services would require direct engagement with the relevant partner institution.

How does this integrate with our existing monitoring systems?

The iAOS platform was specifically designed to unify and extend existing observation systems rather than replace them. It includes a webGIS portal with search, access, and processing services that can connect to distributed databases. The Developer Cloud Sandboxes allow prototyping new algorithms and validating integration with existing processing services.

Is this actually operational or still a research concept?

INTAROS delivered working implementations across all three observation domains: atmosphere-land, ocean-sea ice, and Greenland systems — each going from first implementation to final operational deployment. The iAOS portal reached version 2 with a user manual. However, ongoing operational maintenance after the project ended in February 2022 would need to be confirmed with the coordinator.

What regulations does this help us comply with?

The project directly supports the EU Strategy for the Arctic and related maritime and environmental policies. For companies operating in Arctic waters, the integrated observation data can help meet environmental impact assessment requirements and IMO Polar Code obligations. The system was designed to enable better-documented processes within shipping, tourism, and fisheries sectors.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a massive research-heavy consortium with 50 partners across 20 countries — one of the largest Arctic research collaborations in Horizon 2020. However, business users should note the low commercial orientation: only 3 industry partners (6% of the consortium) versus 22 research institutes and 19 universities. The coordinator, Norway's Nansen Center, is classified as an SME but operates as a research foundation. The international spread is impressive — spanning from Canada and the US to Japan, South Korea, China, and Russia alongside core European partners — which means the data coverage is genuinely pan-Arctic. For a company looking to use this, you're dealing primarily with academic and research institutions, so expect research-grade tools rather than polished commercial products.

STIFTELSEN NANSEN SENTER FOR MILJOOG FJERNMALINGCoordinator · NO
HAVFORSKNINGSINSTITUTTETparticipant · NO
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
INSTITUTE OF REMOTE SENSING AND DIGITAL EARTH - CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCEparticipant · CN
UNIWERSYTET SLASKI W KATOWICACHparticipant · PL
THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETERparticipant · UK
EUROGOOSparticipant · BE
HELSINGIN YLIOPISTOparticipant · FI
THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELDparticipant · UK
University of Alaskaparticipant · US
UNIVERSITETSSENTERET PA SVALBARD ASparticipant · NO
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTHparticipant · IE
ALL-RUSSIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION-WORLD DATA CENTREparticipant · RU
UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURGparticipant · DE
Scientific foundation Nansen International Environmental and Remote Sensing Centreparticipant · RU
DNV ASparticipant · NO
SVERIGES METEOROLOGISKA OCH HYDROLOGISKA INSTITUTparticipant · SE
ALFRED-WEGENER-INSTITUT HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR POLAR- UND MEERESFORSCHUNGparticipant · DE
STICHTING EUROCEANparticipant · NL
GFZ HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR GEOFORSCHUNGparticipant · DE
ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELSparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITAET BREMENparticipant · DE
INSTYTUT OCEANOLOGII POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUKparticipant · PL
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenlandparticipant · DK
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MERparticipant · FR
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAparticipant · US
ILMATIETEEN LAITOSparticipant · FI
NORSK INSTITUTT FOR VANNFORSKNING STIparticipant · NO
TERRADUE SRLparticipant · IT
MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EVparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITE LAVALparticipant · CA
GRONLANDS NATURINSTITUTparticipant · GL
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTIONparticipant · US
THE OPEN UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK
NORDISK FOND FOR MILJØ OG UDVIKLINGparticipant · DK
INTER-UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTITUTECORPORATION RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONOF INFORMATION AND SYSTEMSparticipant · JP
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
ECOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE DES MINES DE PARISthirdparty · FR
NORCE RESEARCH ASparticipant · NO
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRIDparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITETET I BERGENparticipant · NO
BARCELONA SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER CENTRO NACIONAL DE SUPERCOMPUTACIONparticipant · ES
STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
Instytut Geofizyki Polskiej Akademii Naukparticipant · PL

How to reach the team

Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Norway — a research foundation operating as SME. Reach out through their institutional website for data access or collaboration inquiries.

Order a report on this consortium See STIFTELSEN NANSEN SENTER FOR MILJOOG FJERNMALING profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to know if the INTAROS Arctic data platform can support your operations? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific use case — whether that's shipping route data, fisheries intelligence, or environmental risk assessment.

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