International Ice Charting Working Group

Overview

IICWG logo

The International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG), formed in October 1999, has successfully worked as a forum for the operational ice services and other like-minded organizations to help them better meet the needs of their national and international maritime clients through coordination and cooperation in data and technology sharing, standards, training, product development, and research activities. Working on task teams every year and through the annual meeting, IICWG has proven to be a valuable opportunity for the national ice services to meet with partners, clients, academia, space agencies, and other related service providers to discuss issues facing operational ice monitoring and forecasting. The IICWG is an advisory body to the WMO and coordinates its activities with a number of its subsidiary bodies. For more on the history and purpose of the IICWG, see IICWG – The First 25 Years.  For a comprehensive description of sea ice information services worldwide, see WMO's Sea Ice Information Services in the World.

The IICWG is governed by a Charter and Terms of Reference and has adopted a Vision and Strategic Goals.

The current co-chairs of the IICWG are:

  • Marianne Thyrring, Director-General, Danish Meteorological Institute
  • Russ White, Director-General, Prediction Services, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Current Ice Information

Latest News

Meetings

Most Recent Meeting

The 25th meeting of the IICWG was held in Monterey, CA, USA hosted by the Naval Postgraduate School from September 9-13, 2024.

What's New

IICWG Charter

Originally Adopted: 7 October 1999

Most Recently Updated: 10 September 2024

Recognizing the ongoing interest of the nations influenced by ice covered seas in the use and protection of these seas; and further recognizing the value and economics of cooperative activities in operational ice services supporting maritime navigation; the ice charting nations of the world hereby form the International Ice Charting Working Group.

Access the Charter of the International Ice Charting Working Group

IICWG Terms of Reference

Most Recently Updated: 10 September 2024

The Terms of Reference outlines the objectives of the IICWG with respect to the following activities:

  • Maritime Safety Focus
  • Technical Resources and Personnel
  • Science to Operations
  • Standards and Competencies
  • Support Situational Awareness

Access the Terms of Reference

Vision and Strategic Goals

Most Recently Updated: 10 September 2024

This document outlines the vision, mission, values and strategic goals of the IICWG.

Access the IICWG Vision and Strategic Goals

Participating Agencies

Organizational Structure of Ice Services (PDF 94 KB)

Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service

Australian Bureau of Meteorology

British Antarctic Survey

Canadian Ice Service

Danish Meteorological Institute

Finnish Meteorological Institute

Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany (BSH)

Icelandic Meteorological Office

Japan Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department

North American Ice Service

Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Russian Federation Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute

South African Weather Service

Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

United States National Ice Center

U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol - North Atlantic Iceberg Detection and Forecasting

Related Links

Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI)

Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment 2009 Report

British Antarctic Survey

DCRS Sea-ice Information System

Global Digital Sea Ice Data Bank

International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean

Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM)

National Snow and Ice Data Center

North American Ice Service

Space and the Arctic Workshop Conclusions

WMO Marine Meteorology and Oceanography Programme

 

Note: This site is maintained for IICWG by the NOAA@NSIDC team.