Although the Northwest Passage is generally inaccessible to all but the most ice‐capable vessels, in recent years, the navigable ice‐free season in Canada’s Arctic has become more pronounced. The current 2010 ice‐free season has proven to be busier than most in terms of vessel traffic, and with a great deal of media attention now directed toward Arctic shipping, the trend appears likely to continue. Offering a reduction of about 4,000 nautical miles on voyages between Europe and Asia, the Northwest Passage represents a potential savings of nearly two weeks and hundreds of thousands of dollars per transit. Accordingly, the Canadian Government’s recent decision to enact mandatory vessel registration under NORDREG – the Canadian Coast Guard’s Arctic Canada Traffic System – is of particular interest to Arctic mariners.

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