Summary of Operations 



International Ice Patrol formally 

 begins its seasonal ice observation and Ice 

 Patrol service when icebergs threaten 

 primary shipping routes between Europe 

 and North America. This usually occurs in 

 February and extends through July, but Ice 

 Patrol commences operations when 

 iceberg conditions dictate. Except during 

 unusually heavy ice years, the Grand 

 Banks of Newfoundland are normally 

 iceberg free from August through January. 



International Ice Patrol actively 

 monitors the iceberg danger to 

 transatlantic shipping in the region 

 bounded by 40°N, 52°N, 39°W, and 57°W 

 (Figure 1). Ice Patrol began issuing weekly 

 products on 15 February 2002. 

 Commander, International Ice Patrol 

 opened the season on 19 February 2002 

 and daily products were distributed through 



the close of the season on 15 July 2002. 

 Note: All of the statistics reported in this 

 summary are from the 15 February through 

 15 July 2002 time frame mentioned above. 



International Ice Patrol's Operations 

 Center in Groton, Connecticut analyzed 

 1,957 information reports from IRDs, 

 merchant ships, Canadian Ice Service 

 iceberg and sea ice reconnaissance flights, 

 the National Ice Center, and other sources 

 (Figure 2). Of these reports, 480 contained 

 ice information (Figure 3). These ice 

 reports potentially contained single or 

 multiple iceberg sightings, stationary radar 

 targets, and sea ice. From these reports, 

 2,142 individual targets were merged into 

 the Ice Patrol's modeling system (BAPS). 

 Figure 4 highlights the reporting source of 

 sightings merged into BAPS. 



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Figure 1. HP's operating area. T' indicates location of TITANIC sinking. 



