Polar Shipping Routes

Global climate change hinting at a warming of global temperatures is offering new opportunities for international transportation networks, notably with a trend of receding ice around the North Pole. If this trend continues the Arctic could be used more reliably for navigation, at least during summer months. The Northwest Passage crossing Canada's Arctic Ocean could by 2020 become usable on a regular basis, lessening maritime shipping distances substantially.

The maritime journey between East Asia and Western Europe would take about 8,500 miles using the Northwest Passage, while taking 15,000 miles using the Panama Canal. The Northern Sea route passing through the Russian Arctic could also become a possibility. It would reduce a Maritime Journey between East Asia and Western Europe from 13,000 miles using the Suez Canal to 8,000 miles, cutting transit time by 10-15 days. In addition, an Arctic Bridge could also be used, linking the Russian port of Murmansk or the Norwegian port of Narvik to the Canadian port of Churchill.

From Rotterdam to:

Yokohama: 20,600 km (Suez Canal); 8,500 km (Northeast Passage)

Shanghai: 19,300 km (Suez Canal); 14,875 km (Northeast Passage)

Vancouver: 16,400 km (Panama Canal); 12,850 km (Northeast Passage)

In 2007 the Northwest Passage was open during the summer months for the first time in recorded history, but it remains to be seen how stable this opening is. In 2009, two German ships, Beluga Fraternity and Beluga Foresight, completed the first commercial journey across the Northern Sea Route (or Northeast Passage) linking Busan to Rotterdam with several stopovers.