The opening of planet Earth’s final frontier to increased vessel traffic for trade, tourism and transferring resources to market seems an inevitable consequence of the melting Arctic ice. While the assault mounted by climate change on the Arctic environment is unprecedented well beyond the human timescale, there is widespread concern that it will unleash an additional burden into the fragile Arctic ecosystem in the form of accidentally discharged pollutants and disrupt sensitive marine habitat, all with profound implications for the well-being of people who live there.