The Northern Sea Route
The Northern Sea Route, which runs the length of the Siberian coast, was formerly unnavigable, but its use has been made possible by global warming.
Some sectors of the shipping industry see the opening of the route as an opportunity.
Russia said in the past that it is planning to develope
A seaport and trade hub in its far Eastern Kamchatka región
To serve shipments on the Northern Sea Route
The Shipping companies.
In 2018, a Maersk vessel loaded with Russian fish and South Korean electronics was the first container ship to navigate an Arctic sea route, according to Reuters, which has reported since that the carrier is looking to send more goods on the route.
Others have balked at the route, however.
Otto Schacht, executive vice president of sea logistics for Kuehne + Nagel, Said on his LinkedIn page tha the company would not support the route
“No one should support shipping goods from Asia to Europe via the Arctic,” he wrote.
“Whoever considers it, supports global warming.”
Its CEO Rodolphe Saadé has decided none of CMA CGM’s 500 vessels will use the route.
“Rich in its unique and largely unexplored biodiversity,
the Arctic plays an essential role in regulating ocean currents
and global climate patterns,” the carrier said.
“The use of the Northern Sea Route will represent
a significant danger to the unique natural ecosystems
of this part of the world.”
Jörg Erdmann, Senior Director Sustainability at Hapag-Lloyd said
that the significance for container shipping is still very limited
because the window of time in which this region can be navigated
continues to be relatively narrow, which is why using it regularly
would be rather difficult at present.
All things considered, the desirability of using these passages must be very carefully weighed
from both the ecological and economic perspectives.
As long as there are no guarantees that these passages can be navigated without negatively impacting the environment,
using them is out of the question for Hapag-Lloyd, as well.
If the economic side outweighs the ecological?
Will the shipping companies still care for the environment in the Arctic?
