The NorthEAST Passage Over Siberia Norway to the Pacific

[Steadman Uhlich]

New tanker makes the North East Passage in the Arctic without an icebreaker assist. This is taking natural gas from Norway to Korea using a special, icebreaking tanker ship.

This ship averaged 14 knots while breaking through ice one meter thick!

It can break through 2 meters of ice.
It is planned there will be a fleet of 15 ships built to make regular runs both East and West on this route.

EXCERPT
"It will be the first of a planned fleet of 15 that will transport gas from these ice bound fields all year round.

"Previously there was only a window of navigation from our summer to autumn, but this ship will be able to sail westwards from Sabetta which is the Yamal energy port, all year round and eastwards from July to December," said Sovcomflot spokesman Bill Spears.

"Before the northern sea route was only open for four months and you had to have ice-breakers - so it's a significant development."

In 2016, the northern sea route saw 19 full transits from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

High insurance and large fees for Russian ice-breakers are still discouraging some ship owners from the riskier northern route. But the economic benefits are attractive - the Christophe de Margerie took just 19 days for the entire voyage, around 30% faster than going by Suez.

There has been an overall decline in Arctic sea ice over the past 30 years, linked by scientists to rising global temperatures. This year, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), the annual maximum extent of Arctic sea ice hit a record low for the third year in a row."

There is more via the link.
https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.o...nment-41037071