First Cargo Ship To Use The Northwest Passage

Isn't it ironic?

How very ironic. Due to global warming, enough of the Arctic ice has melted that cargo ships can navigate the fabled Northwest Passage -- and the first vessel is carrying coal:





"The melting in various places is alarming, but it's creating opportunities that weren't there before," said Edward Coll, the Newport, R.I.-based CEO of Bulk Partners, the holding company that owns Nordic Orion.

Last year, the amount of Arctic sea ice reached an all-time low of 3.42 million square kilometers (1.32 million square miles), though this year it rose to 5.10 million square kilometers, according to the University of Colorado Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center.

"We had a bit of a recovery this year, but it's not going to last," said NSIDC Director Mark Serreze.

Bulk Partners said Nordic Orion's route will shave off four days of travel time, or nearly 1,500 nautical miles, worth up to $200,000 in savings. The dry-goods shipper said despite additional expenses on this journey, being the first across the route, it went ahead due to strong Canadian government backing.

About Susie Madrak

