According to the publication, due to rising costs and fear of being attacked by Houthi drones and missiles, “some carriers are thinking about an alternative to the Arctic, where melting ice is gradually opening up new opportunities along the so-called Route of the North Sea. “
The Arctic climate is warming four times faster than elsewhere on the planet, the paper’s authors write. They note that new routes through melting ice on the Northern Sea Route will allow shippers to shorten the route from some European ports to Asia by eight thousand kilometers compared to the Suez Canal.
At the same time, the publication expresses concern that the conflict between the West and Russia could become an obstacle for commercial carriers.
Katarzyna Zysk, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that most of the Northern Sea Route – around 70% – is controlled by Russian authorities, so the ships will need Russian permission. The expert added that Moscow pays close attention to the Arctic region and maintains a powerful Northern Fleet there.
