Arctic trade route becoming a reality

By Peter McMeekin – Grain Brokers Australia

THE Northern Sea Route (NSR) has stirred the imagination of maritime pioneers and governments for centuries. Also known as the Northeast Passage, the mythology goes back to the days of Marco Polo and centres on Europe’s obsession with finding a shortcut to the riches of Asia. Early explorers stubbornly believed an ice-free, warm ocean ringed the North Pole, which would easily connect European ships to the Pacific.

The NSR slices an icy trail along Russia’s Arctic coastline from the Bering Strait, which connects the Pacific and Arctic oceans, to the Barents Sea north of Norway. The 5600km sea lane is the shortest maritime passage from East Asia to Europe or the Atlantic coast of North America.