Modernizing Coast Guard Iceberg Hazard

In 1913, the International Ice Patrol (IIP) was formed to monitor icebergs and warn mariners in response to the collision of RMS TITANIC with an iceberg near the Grand Banks. IIP relies on a self-contained Geographic Information System (GIS) called the Iceberg Analysis and Prediction System (BAPS) to predict and assess iceberg locations and produce a daily charted limit of known icebergs in the region. However, BAPS is a decades-old system accessed within the soon-obsolete ArcMap and is run in a highly-manual, complicated workflow. In addition, IIP is transitioning to primarily sighting icebergs using satellite imagery, which BAPS is not designed to handle. To improve its iceberg modeling and analysis, IIP partnered with Esri to redevelop BAPS through automation and conversion to ArcGIS Pro. In initial testing, IIP finds a streamlined workflow which will increase time for analysts to scrutinize ocean and ice conditions. In the future, IIP plans to improving public access to the daily Iceberg Limit by incorporating it into web-based applications. Modernizing iceberg hazard analysis and prediction by leveraging contemporary GIS is instrumental to preventing another TITANIC.