Maersk sends first container ship through Arctic route

“The Arctic voyage by the 3,600 20-foot container capacity Venta Maersk is the latest step in the expansion of the so-called Northern Sea Route which is becoming more accessible to ships as climate change reduces the amount of sea ice. . . .

“‘Currently, we do not see the Northern Sea Route as an alternative to our usual routes,’ a spokeswoman for Maersk said.

“‘Today, the passage is only feasible for around three months a year which may change with time,’ the spokeswoman said.

“Sea ice around the North Pole reaches its biggest area at the end of the winter in March, and thaws to an annual minimum in September. The ice has shrunk in recent decades in a trend scientists have linked to man-made climate change.”

FULL STORY published August 24, 2018 via Reuters.com