According to reports, vessels sailing through the Arctic region’s busiest lane along the Siberian coast increased this year, reaching a record, as a quicker-than-expected melting of ice enabled more traffic.
Analysis by the Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL) at Norway’s Nord University Business School revealed that there were 62 transits through the Northern Sea Route in the period to December 9, versus 37 for the whole of 2019.
Also, the number of vessels using the route increased to 331 vessels in the year to date, versus 277 for the whole of 2019, CHNL data showed. The trade is driven by commodities producers – mainly in Russia, China and Canada – sending iron ore, oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other fuels through Arctic waters.
Sergey Balmasov with CHNL reported to Reuters that
This year is considered to be the highest number of the full transit voyages. We see favorable ice conditions in this navigation season as one of the reasons for the growth.
However, sailing through the Arctic remains a controversial issue. Thus, the United Nations shipping agency last month approved a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the Arctic, but the move was criticized by green groups which said loopholes would allow many vessels to keep sailing without enough regulatory control over the region’s fragile ecosystem.