ARCTIC SHIPPING

ROUTES

VICTOR OLERSKIY
Member of the Board of Directors at
Russian Fishery LLC
There are currently three primary Arctic shipping routes that
connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. These are known
as the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage and the
Transpolar Sea Route. Other, less travelled Arctic sea routes
include the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic Bridge.

Viability
The viability of all Arctic sea routes
is compromised for much of the
year due to the presence of ice floes
blocking all or part of the routes.
Specialised icebreaker vessels can
to some extent negate this issue,
but only in certain areas at certain
times of the year. As such, these
routes can only be passed when
conditions permit. The viability var-
ies between routes and depends
greatly on the time of year.

Diminishing Ice Floes

As climate change continues to
melt the ice floes, the Arctic ship-
ping routes are beginning to be-
come viable for longer each year.
Predictions are that by 2060, only
85% of the current ice mass will re-
main in winter and just 40% in the
summer months.

Arctic shipping is subject to the

same international regulations
as all global merchant shipping,
including the requirement for all
ships with a gross tonnage of more
than 300 to have GMDSS commu-
nication equipment.

Victor Olerskiy
Victor Olerskiy
 Victor Olerskiy
You can learn more about GMDSS by
visiting the blog of Victor Olerskiy.