International Ice Patrol

International Ice Patrol
Active1914–present
Country United States
BranchUnited States United States Coast Guard
TypeSearch and rescue
WebsiteInternational Ice Patrol
Aircraft flown
PatrolLockheed C-130 Hercules

The International Ice Patrol is an organization with the purpose of monitoring the presence of icebergs in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans and reporting their movements for safety purposes. It is operated by United States Coast Guard but is funded by the 13 nations interested in trans-Atlantic navigation. As of 2011 the governments contributing to the International Ice Patrol include Belgium, Canada (see Canadian Ice Service), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[1]

The organization was established in 1914 in response to the sinking of RMS Titanic. The primary mission of the Ice Patrol is to monitor the iceberg danger in the North Atlantic Ocean and provide relevant iceberg warning products to the maritime community.[2]

  1. ^ "Report of the International Ice Patrol in the North Atlantic" (PDF). Department of Homeland Security. 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  2. ^ "International Ice Patrol (IIP)". Navigation Center. U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved 11 October 2020.