The Joint Western Arctic Climate Study 2004 involved ships of three nations, Canada, Japan and United States in a continued, concerted multi-disciplinarian climate impact study.

During this year’s program the two primary research platforms were R/V Mirai and CCGS Louis S. St Laurent.  Though not primarily assigned to JWACS 2004, assistance was also supplied by USCGC Healy.

Each vessel according to its capabilities conducted research in either primarily open water, ice edge or pack ice.  Concurrent with the JWACS 2004 program, several other research vessels from Canada, United States and Russia also conducted science programs in the Western Arctic. R/V Mirai returned to the Arctic after the highly successful Beagle 2003, Blue Earth Global Expedition. In her absence from the Arctic, JWACS 2003 research was conducted onboard CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent, and CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

Martech Polar and Captain David Snider provided Ice Pilotage services onboard R/V Mirai during her operations in the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Eastern Siberian Sea and Beaufort Sea over the six week operational period in September and October 2004.