# Expanding maritime refueling capability in the High North

/ Published April 19, 2023
FORT BELVOIR, Va. , 
Climate change and melting sea ice in the Arctic and parts of the North Atlantic are making an inhospitable region increasingly accessible to maritime shipping, bringing threats as well as opportunities.

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Europe & Africa is leading efforts to build a resilient redundant bulk fuel supply chain in the High North region. Within the last year, DLA Energy spearheaded a series of site-surveys and discussions with its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies to extend logistics capabilities.

“The unique environment of the Arctic continues to present operational challenges, requiring new approaches and solutions,” said DLA Energy Europe & Africa Commander Army Lt. Col. Benverren Fortune. “We must build a redundant and resilient supply chain to provide our Commanders options.”

Two geographical combatant commands, U.S. Northern Command and U.S. European Command, have shared the area of responsibility for the Arctic region, U.S. Pacific Command  includes a portion of the Bering Sea. In recognition of the High North’s strategic importance and to ensure that U.S. interests are protected in the region, the U.S. Department of Defense established the Arctic Strategy and Global Resilience Office in 2022.

In a U.S. Department of Defense article, DOD Establishes Arctic Strategy and Global Resilience Office, Ferguson said, "The priorities for that defense strategy are in protecting the homeland, ensuring that our national interests are safeguarded and protected, and working with nations on shared challenges. The overarching goal is to ensure we maintain peace and stability in the region." 

NATO’s five arctic allies: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden make up the High North region.  The diminishing Arctic ice cap and thawing permafrost is creating economic opportunities as new sea lanes gradually open and untapped resources become available.

Growing signs of great power ‘scramble’ for the Arctic are emerging and Russia has claimed expanded jurisdiction and bolstered its military presence in the region.

In March 2023, Naval Forces Europe partnered with the Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization to perform site surveys to assess how logistics capabilities in Norway could be expanded beyond bulk petroleum support. As part of proof-of-concept effort, the oil tanker USNS John Lenthall visited Norway’s Namsen Fuel Terminal, March 6-8, 2023. The ship successfully received and offloaded a small quantity of stores which validated physical access of commercial trucks to the tunnel leading to the pier, as well as the ability to effectively operate a crane and forklift on the pier. This visit followed an earlier proof of concept port visit when the USNS Leroy Grumman visited the Namsen Fuel Terminal validating the viability of the fuel terminal and pier in September 2022. 

“This proof of concept demonstrated that an auxiliary support vessel, such as a T-AO, can also load parts, food, and other vital consumable supplies when loading fuel at Namsen Fuel Terminal for delivery at sea within the Artic Circle to U.S. Navy warships and allies,” Fortune said.

DLA Energy Europe & Africa Director of Supplier Operations Navy Cmdr. Joshua Fischer sees the ability to support the expansion into the Northern reaches of the theater as a significant steppingstone to our ability to project power in the upper latitudes.

“DLA Energy Europe & Africa, in cooperation with EUCOM and U.S. Naval Forces Europe is continuing to push the boundaries to expand our support capabilities to enable the warfighter to have greater access to the furthest reaches of this theater,” Fischer said.  “Endeavors such as this will lay the groundwork for future mission success in the High North and Arctic as our Navy expands into more northern operations to deter potential adversaries who might attempt to hinder access or impede freedom of navigation or disrupt commerce.” 

In parallel coordination, DLA Energy International Agreements Division is working with the United Kingdom to help preserve the stability and security Arctic region through fuel support agreements.

Mike Holgate leads the DLA Energy International Agreements Division. He and his team established a Fuel Support Agreement with the United Kingdom in 2022.

“The Scotland Fuel Support Agreement provides assured access to F76 and F44 on the West Coast of the United Kingdom, which significantly strengthens logistics support to naval operations in both the High North and the Baltic Sea,” Holgate said. “Two new Defense Fuel Supply Points were added to the European Command theater, which brings us to 59 DFSPs. The DFSPs provide the operational endurance and provide reach to our forces even in the face of turmoil.”

DLA Energy Europe & Africa is continuing coordination with the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization and DLA Energy International Agreements to work through the fundamental elements of completing a new fuel support agreement with Norway.

“We owe it to the Warfighter to look forward past Iraq and Afghanistan to the next fight where no commodity is safe, but we are charged to provide the fuel needed for our forces to win,” Fortune said. 

DLA Energy Europe & Africa’s geographic responsibility includes 55.8 million square miles, covering 103 nations in all of Europe and Africa, and extends from 500 miles off the Atlantic coast of the United States to the Pacific coast of Russia. It includes two thirds of the Earth’s coastlines and spans 18 time zones.