Navigating logistics for EastGRIP's ice core project in East Greenland

The East Greenland Ice-Core Project – EastGRIP – is a scientific project that retrieved an ice core from the ice stream in Northeast Greenland, which is now being analysed and further tests are made in the borehole. For the field season, the team returns to their camp in a remote area of northeast Greenland every year. The project is not only scientifically, but also logistically complex, as it requires detailed planning and knowledge of logistics to and from Greenland to get the fieldwork in place. 

Over the years, the team has collaborated with Blue Water Greenland for the transportation of essential items, ranging from snow scooters to large drilling components to drill 2700 meters into the ice. The logistics team in Nuuk, Greenland, has the local knowledge to handle the unique challenges of transporting cargo in the Artic country. With a dedicated point of contact on the project, Blue Water Nuuk finds a solution to any logistic challenge the EastGRIP team might have. 

Greenland to Canada 

As last year's field season was wrapping up in August, the University of Copenhagen, which oversees the project, needed to reroute equipment not back to Copenhagen, but to a partner in Manitoba, Canada. The equipment was crucial for a similar project and was needed in Canada shortly after its use in Greenland. 

Everything was packed on pallets for an Air Force air charter, arranged by the university, but it fell through due to timing constraints, Marie Kirk, Logistics Coordinator at University of Copenhagen, reached out to her usual Blue Water contact to explore a new alternative solution for the transport. Together with the team in Nuuk they decided on a sea freight solution, although it was slower than air freight - yet the more cost-effective solution would still meet the EastGRIP schedule. 

"Blue Water was supportive in exploring all possible options with us, fully detailing the advantages and disadvantages of each, along with their respective timelines for us to time it with our partner in Canada," Marie Kirk explained. 

Logistics in Greenland is different, and at Blue Water Greenland - in this case the team in Nuuk – it is all about listening to the customer's needs and being as flexible as possible to find a solution that fits the conditions. "We always look at all options and with our experience and knowledge of local conditions, such as when the ice calves, we can give the best advice to ensure a smooth transport with no surprises along the way,” says Gabriella Sonnichsen of the North Atlantic team.