Russian tanker sails through Arctic without icebreaker for first time
by Patrick Barkham from Environment | The Guardian on (#305RK)
Climate change has thawed Arctic enough for $300m gas tanker to travel at record speed through northern sea route
A Russian tanker has travelled through the northern sea route in record speed and without an icebreaker escort for the first time, highlighting how climate change is opening up the high Arctic.
The $300m Christophe de Margerie carried a cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Hammerfest in Norway to Boryeong in South Korea in 19 days, about 30% quicker than the conventional southern shipping route through the Suez Canal.
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