Arctic Shipping Route No Rival to Suez, Says Expert

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday October 9, 2015

According to the Chair of the Arctic Council's Marine Shipping Assessment, the idea of an Arctic shipping route that would equal the Suez Canal is a dream for another century, Alaskan media reports.

"Profound changes in sea ice are not retooling global trade routes," said Lawson Brigham, who is also a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 

Although more ice is melting, he said that the area is still fully or partially ice-covered for over seven months of the year, which would mean that any Arctic traffic would likely be seasonal. 

"I read, of course, that Mr. Putin is going to replace the Suez Canal with the Northern Sea Route," Brigham added.

"Well, I would say, good luck."

Containership traffic will also reportedly not be the main driver of Arctic shipping traffic.

Rather, it will be rising global demand for Arctic resources spurring drilling operations, he said, with Royal Dutch Shell plc having already reportedly sent 20-30 ships to support one Arctic drilling location. 

Earlier this year, Ship & Bunker reported that environmental groups have also begun calling for Emission Control Areas (ECAs) to be extended into the Arctic in anticipation of increased shipping traffic in the region. 

Ship & Bunker News Team
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