Arctic shipping – a comparison study of northern sea route and northwest passage

• Main Author: Yen, Tingen.
• Other Authors: Lum Kit Meng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Maritime studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/52678
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Arctic, with the lowest recorded temperature at -67.8ºC, is one of the iciest regions in the world. With its most distinguishable feature of sea-ice cover, the Arctic region has mostly remained unexplored and much less for shipping activities over the past decades. However, global warming has brought rapid change to the Arctic region. This climate development not only brings about collapsing of multi-year sea ice in Arctic, but also makes the Arctic shipping increasingly attractive and possible. In 2007 summer, both the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Northwest Passage (NWP) were ice-freed and opened simultaneously for the first time, allowing access to previously-blocked potential shortcuts between Asia and North America or Europe. The opening of Arctic shipping cum the realization of valuable hydrocarbon resources under the seabed of Arctic Ocean has attracted a number of political interests, especially from those states bordering Arctic Ocean. Controlling the waters in the Arctic region is no doubt entitles the states exclusive control over the strategic corridors between the Asia and North America or Europe as well as the energy resources in the High North. This research report aims to examine the feasibilities of Arctic shipping, particularly comparing the NSR and NWP, in terms of political and regulatory considerations. As the opening of either Arctic routes will have huge impact on future shipping patterns, a survey was conducted across the maritime community in Singapore to understand their receptiveness and concerns towards Arctic shipping. The survey result reveals that the cost incurred was their main concerns for the usage of both Arctic routes.