National Snow and Ice Data Center

Theme: New technologies, big data, and the future of ice charting and forecasting

The 18th IICWG Meeting was held in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on September 25-29, 2017.

• IICWG-XVIII Executive Summary
• IICWG-XVIII Meeting Report
  • Appendix A - List of Registrants
  • Appendix B - Final Agenda
  • Appendix C - Applied Science and Research Standing Committee Report
  • Appendix D - Data, Information and Customer Support Standing Committee Report
  • Appendix E - Iceberg Sub-committee Report
  • Appendix F - Secretariat Report
  • Appendix G - Reports from Other Ice Working Groups
  • Appendix H - Plenary Action Items Report
  • Appendix I - Antarctic SAR Exercise Summary
  • Appendix J - Ice Information Service Delivery in Antarctic Waters Discussion Summary
  • Appendix K - IICWG XVIII Press Release
  • Appendix L - ASRSC Action Item Status
  • Appendix M - DICSSC Action Item Status
  • Appendix N - Iceberg Sub-committee Action Item Status
  • Appendix O - IICWG Draft Strategic Vision, V5
  • Appendix P - Plenary Action Items Status
  • Appendix Q - Idea Parking Lot
• 18th Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XVIII.
• 18th Meeting Posters - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all posters from IICWG XVIII.
• 18th Meeting Photos - Link to FTP directory containing photos from IICWG XVIII.

Theme: From Models to Forecast Products for Sea Ice and Icebergs

The 17th IICWG Meeting was held in Ottawa, Canada on October 24-28, 2016. Below are links to the reports from the meeting.

• IICWG-XVII Executive Summary
• IICWG-XVII Meeting Report
  • Appendix A - List of Registrants
  • Appendix B - Final Agenda
  • Appendix C - Applied Science and Research Standing Committee Action Item Report
  • Appendix D - Data, Information and Customer Support Standing Committee Action Item Report
  • Appendix E - Iceberg Sub-committee Report
  • Appendix F - Report from the Secretariat
  • Appendix G - Reports from Other Ice Working Groups
  • Appendix H - Year of Polar Prediction Workshop Trip Report
  • Appendix I - Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs Report to IICWG-XVII
  • Appendix J - Report on Plenary Action Items from IICWG-XVI
  • Appendix K - Emergency Response Tabletop Exercise Summary Report 
  • Appendix L - Breakout session - Operational Forecasts Summary: Bridging the Gap from Models to Mariners 
  • Appendix M - Breakout session - Addressing Users’ Ice Information Needs with Respect to Ice Forecasts and the Polar Code Summary
  • Appendix N - IICWG-XVII News Release
  • Appendix O - DICSSC Action Items From IICWG-XVII
  • Appendix P - ASRSC Action Items From IICWG-XVII
  • Appendix Q - Plenary Action Items From IICWG-XVII
• 17th Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XVII.
• 17th Meeting Posters - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all posters from IICWG XVII.

Theme: Relevant Ice Information for the Maritime Community

The 16th IICWG Meeting was held in Rostock, Germany on October 19-24, 2015. Below are links to the reports from the meeting.

• IICWG-XVI Executive Summary
• IICWG-XVI Meeting Report
  • Appendix A - List of Registrants
  • Appendix B - Final Agenda
  • Appendix C - Applied Science and Research Standing Committee Action Item Report
  • Appendix D - Data, Information and Customer Support Standing Committee Action Item Report
  • Appendix E - Report from the Secretariat
  • Appendix F - Report on Plenary Action Items from IICWG-XV
  • Appendix G - Reports from Other Ice Working Groups
  • Appendix H - Discussion Summary: Teaching Sea Ice And Icebergs To Mariners
  • Appendix I - Discussion Summary: Antarctic Ice Charting
  • Appendix J - Discussion Summary: Operational Use of NRT Earth Observations
  • Appendix K - Discussion Summary: Marine Emergency Incident Response
  • Appendix L - IICWG-XVI News Release
  • Appendix M - ASRSC Terms Of Reference – 2015 Update
  • Appendix N - ASRSC Action Items From IICWG-XVI
  • Appendix O - DICSSC Action Items From IICWG-XVI
  • Appendix P - Plenary Action Items From IICWG-XVI
• 16th Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XVI.

Theme: Ice Information in the Southern Ocean – Status, Challenges, and the Future

The 15th Meeting of the IICWG was held October 20-25, 2014 in Punta Arenas, Chile at the invitation of the Chilean Navy Meteorological Service. Below are links to the report from the meeting.

• IICWG-XV Meeting Executive Summary
• IICWG-XV Meeting Report
  • Appendix A - List of Registrants
  • Appendix B - Final Agenda
  • Appendix C - ASRSC Action Items Status Report
  • Appendix D - DICSSC Action Items Status Report
  • Appendix E - IICWG-XIV Plenary Action Items Report
  • Appendix F - Breakout Discussion Background Papers
  • Appendix G - Breakout Discussion Summary
  • Appendix H - News Release
  • Appendix I - ASRSC New Action Item Summary
  • Appendix J - DICSSC New Action Item Summary
  • Appendix K - IICWG-XV Plenary Action Item Status
• 15th Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XV

Theme: Ice Information for Marine Safety and Security

The 14^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group was held in Reykjavik, Iceland on 21-25 October 2013. The University of Iceland and the Icelandic Meteorological Office hosted the meeting. Below are links to the report from the meeting.

• IICWG-XIV Meeting Executive Summary
• IICWG-XIV Meeting Report
  • Appendix A - List of Participants
  • Appendix B - Agenda
  • Appendix C - ASRSC Report
  • Appendix D - DICSSC Report
  • Appendix E - Secretariat Report
  • Appendix F - IICWG-XIII Plenary Action Item Status
  • Appendix G - Role of Ice Services in Emergency Response - Search-and-Rescue
  • Appendix H - Role of Ice Services in Emergency Response - Environmental
  • Appendix I - Ice Service in the Context of Trans-Arctic Shipping
  • Appendix J - IICWG-XIV News Release
  • Appendix K - DICSSC Meeting Debrief
  • Appendix L - ASRSC Meeting Debrief
  • Appendix M - IICWG-XIV Plenary Action Items
  • Appendix N - DICSSC Action Item Summary
  • Appendix O - ASRSC Action Item Summary
• Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XIV
• Photo Gallery - Link to FTP directory containing a selection of photos from IICWG XIII

Theme: New Products – What Comes After Ice Charts?

The 13^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group was held in Tromsø, Norway on 15-19 October 2012. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute hosted the meeting. Below are links to the report from the meeting.

• IICWG-XIII Meeting Executive Summary
• IICWG-XIII Meeting Report
  • Appendix A – Science Workshop Abstracts
  • Appendix B – List of Participants
  • Appendix C – Agenda
  • Appendix D – ASRSC Action Item Report
  • Appendix E – DICSSC Action Item Report
  • Appendix F – Secretariat Report
  • Appendix G – IICWG-XII Plenary Action Item Status
  • Appendix H – JCOMM-4 Approved Technical Regulations
  • Appendix J – IICWG XIII News Release
  • Appendix K – DICSSC Meeting Debrief
  • Appendix L – DICSSC Revised Terms of Reference Proposal
  • Appendix M – ASRSC Meeting Debrief
  • Appendix N – IICWG XIII Plenary Action Items
  • Appendix O – DICSSC Action Items
  • Appendix P – ASRSC Action Items
• Meeting Documents - Link to FTP directory containing PDF files of reports and papers from IICWG XIII
• Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XIII
• Photo Gallery - Link to FTP directory containing a selection of photos from IICWG XIII

The 12^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group was held in Cambridge, U.K. on 17-21 October 2011. The British Antarctic Survey hosted the meeting. Below are links to the report from the meeting.

• IICWG-XII Meeting Executive Summary
• IICWG-XII Meeting Report
  • Appendix A – Science Workshop Abstracts
  • Appendix B – List of Registrants
  • Appendix C – Agenda
  • Appendix D – Applied Science and Research Standing Committee Report
  • Appendix E – Data, Information, and Customer Service Standing Committee Report
  • Appendix F – Secretariat Report
  • Appendix G – IICWG-XI Plenary Action Item Status
  • Appendix H – New NAVTEX Abbreviations for Ice
  • Appendix I – Data Share Proposal – Draft 1
  • Appendix J – Applied Science and Research Standing Committee Action Items
  • Appendix K – Data, Information, and Customer Service Standing Committee Action Items
  • Appendix L – Plenary Action Items
  • News Release 21 Oct. 2011: International Ice Experts Caution that "Open" Arctic Shipping Routes Does Not Mean Ice-Free
  • Meeting Documents - Link to FTP directory containing PDF files of reports and papers from IICWG XII
  • Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XII
  • Photo Gallery - Link to FTP directory containing a selection of photos from IICWG XII

The 11^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group was held in Washington D.C. on 18-22 October 2010. The National Ice Center hosted the meeting.

• IICWG-XI Meeting Executive Summary (PDF, 86 KB)
• IICWG-XI Meeting Report (PDF, 251 KB)
• Appendix I – Science Workshop Abstracts (PDF, 97 KB)
• Appendix II – List of Participants (PDF, 28 KB)
• Appendix III – Agenda (PDF, 262 KB)
• Appendix IV – Secretariat Report (PDF, 74 KB)
• Appendix V – Plenary Action Items from IICWG-X (PDF, 56 KB)
• Appendix VI – IICWG-XI DICSSC Action Items (PDF, 97 KB)
• Appendix VII – IICWG-XI ASRSC Action Items (PDF, 106 KB)
• Appendix VII – IICWG-XI Plenary Action Items (PDF, 76 KB)
• News Release 20 Oct. 2010: National Ice Services Warn of Continuing Hazards to Navigation in the Polar Seas (PDF, 122 KB)
• Meeting Documents - Link to FTP directory containing PDF files of reports and papers from IICWG XI, posted 1 Dec. 2010
• Meeting Presentations - Link to FTP directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG XI, posted 1 Dec. 2010
• Photo Gallery - Link to FTP directory containing a selection of photos from IICWG XI, posted 1 Dec. 2010

The 10^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) was held in Geneva Switzerland on 12-16 October, 2009 and was hosted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

• IICWG X Meeting Report (PDF, 212 KB), posted 4 Jan. 2010
• IICWG X Meeting Summary (PDF, 87 KB), posted 30 Oct. 2009
• Final Agenda (PDF, 140 KB), updated 2 Oct. 2009
• IICWG X Participants (PDF, 49 KB), posted 4 Jan. 2010
• IICWG X News Release: National Ice Services Advise of Continuing Navigation Hazards (PDF, 52 KB) posted 19 Oct. 2009
• Meeting Documents - Link to a directory containing PDF files of reports and papers from IICWG X, posted 4 Jan. 2010
• Meeting Presentations - Link to a directory containing PDF versions of all presentation from IICWG X (including the Science Workshop), posted 4 Jan. 2010
• Photo Gallery - Link to a directory containing a selection of photos from IICWG X, posted 4 Jan. 2010

The 9^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) was held in Luleå, Sweden on 20-24 October, 2008, and it was hosted by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI).

• Meeting Summary (Word Doc, 354 KB)
• Agenda (PDF, 105 KB)
• List of Registrants (PDF, 14 KB)
• News Release (Word Doc, 3, 150 KB)
• Kuriren Newspaper Article Translated in English (Word Doc, 27 KB)
• Meeting Documents and Presentations - this link takes you to a folder containing Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, Microsoft Word documents, etc.
• Photo Gallery

The 8^th meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) was held in Frascati, Italy, 22-26 October, 2007. It was hosted by the European Space Agency’s Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN).

• IICWG VIII Yearbook (PDF, 272 KB)
• Letter of Invitation (PDF, 44 KB)
• Meeting Summary, Documents, and Presentations - this link takes you to a folder containing Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, Microsoft Word documents, etc.
• News Release 23 October 2007: 2007 Arctic Ice Retreat Concerns National Ice Services (PDF, 456 KB)

The Finnish Institute of Marine Research hosted the 7th International Ice Chart Working Group Meeting in Helsinki, Finland. The meeting, and associated Science Workshop, took place 24-29 September. It was organized by the Finnish ice service through a local committee led by Ari Seina.

• Venue: Finnish Environmental Institute (formerlly the Finnish Institute of Marine Research)
• Logistics: IICWG7_ practical_info_20Sep06.pdf
• Agenda: IICWG7_Agenda_20Sep06.pdf
• Participants: IICWG7_Participants_20Sep06.xls
• Plenary Action Items: IICWG_VII_Plenary_Action_Items_Final_121806.doc
• Presentations: Presentations are in folders for the day on which they were given. Also see Standing Committees.

IICWG-VII Participant Group Photo

Theme: International Ice Services - The Next Five Years

The North American Ice Service hosted the 6th International Ice Chart Working Group Meeting in Ottawa, Canada.

The meeting was organized by the Canadian Ice Service through a local committee led by Roger De Abreu. It was held from 25-28 October 2005, with an associated IICWG Science Workshop on 24 October. You may download the files below for more information. Also see Standing Committees.

• IICWG 6 First Information Circular (pdf file)
• Invitation from CoChairs R. David Grimes, Meteorological Service of Canada, and Richard M. Barazotto, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (pdf file)
• Participant List (xls file)
• General Meeting Agenda (pdf file)
• Interoperable Data Formats - Special Session (see Standing Committee on Data, Information, and Customer Support)
• Science Workshop Agenda (PDF file)
• General Action Items from IICWG V, Hamburg (doc file)
• Questions for Discussion Regarding Future of IICWG (PDF file)
• Action Items (doc file)
• Photo Gallery (Folder of photos provided by Roger DeAbreu)

The fifth meeting of the International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) was held April 20-23, 2004, in Hamburg Germany. Additionally, the science workshop, entitled "Information Extraction and Ice Modeling - Steps towards Data Assimilation," was held on Monday, April 19. To access presentations given at the meetings, please see the agendas below.

• Main IICWG Meeting
• Science Workshop
• Action Items (.doc file)
• News release June 2004: Ad Hoc Format Working Group -- Shapefile Discussion

IICWG-V Participant Group Photo. Image courtesy of Klaus Strübing.

The fourth meeting of the IICWG was held in St Petersburg, Russian Federation, April 7-11, 2003. It was hosted by and convened at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) and sponsored by the U.S. National Ice Center, Canadian Ice Service, the U.S. Office of Naval Research Polar Programs, and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.

• IICWG IV Web Site at AARI
• Agenda
• Participants
• Photo of Participants (photo courtesy of Vasily Smolyanitsky, Head, Laboratory of Sea Ice Climate Manuals, AARI.)
• Action Items
• Presentations

The third annual meeting of the IICWG was held in Tromso, Norway, November 14-16, 2001. It was hosted by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (DNMI) and sponsored by the the Office of Naval Research Polar Programs, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, the U.S. National Ice Center, and the Canadian Ice Service.

• Agenda (PDF file)
• Participants (PDF file)
• Action Items (PDF file)
• Presentations (links to a folder containing Microsoft Power Point presentations and Word documents)

The second meeting of the IICWG was held at Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland, October 3-5, 2000. The meeting was hosted by the Icelandic Meteorological Office, and sponsored by the U.S. National Ice Center, the Office of Naval Research - Europe, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, and the Canadian Ice Service.

• Agenda
• Participants (PDF, 59 KB)
• Final Report (Also available as a Microsoft Word document)
• Action Items (Also available as a Microsoft Word document)
• Presentations - Link to a directory containing all of the presentations from IICWG-II

The IICWG was formed at a meeting held at the Danish Meteorological Institute in Copenhagen, 5-7 Oct 1999. The meeting was sponsored by the U.S. National Ice Center, the Office of Naval Research (Europe), the Danish Meteorological Institute, and the Canadian Ice Service.

• Minutes
• IICWG-I Final Report (PDF, 39 MB)