First Freighter Traverses Polar Sea Route Devoid Of Ice Breaker

A commercial LNG tanker has cruised past the icier, northern route from Europe to Asia minus the shield of an ice-breaker for the first time.

The specially-built craft fulfilled the journey in only six-and-a-half days setting a fresh record, according to tanker's Russian owners.

The 300-metre-long Sovcomflot vessel, the Christophe de Margerie, was containing gas from Norway to South Korea.

Increasing Glacial temperatures are encouraging commercial shipment throughout this route. The Christophe de Margerie is the world's first and, contemporarily, only ice-breaking LNG transporter.

The ship, which showcases a lightweight steel fortified body, is the biggest commercial vessel to obtain Arc7 accreditation, which implies it is able of trekking across ice up to 2.1m dense.

On this journey it was able to maintain an average pace of 14 knots notwithstanding cruising over ice that was more than one meter thick in positions.

On its first expedition earlier this year, the Christophe de Margerie moored in the Russian harbor of Sabetta. Russian President Vladimir Putin commended the team and energy firm executives assembled on the ship's viaduct, stating: "This is a big event in the opening up of the Arctic."

The Russian proprietors, Sovcomflot, will utilize this ice-breaking tanker to send overseas gas from the Yamal cape to Asian markets later this year.

It will be the primary of a developed armada of 15 that will move gas from these ice bound fields all year round. In 2016, the northern sea route saw 19 full transits from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Elevated indemnification and huge payments for Russian ice-breakers are still disheartening several vessel owners from the dodgier northern path. But the monetary advantages are appealing - the Christophe de Margerie took just 19 days for the whole trip, about 30% quicker than traveling by Suez.

There has been a total drop in Arctic sea ice throughout the past 30 years, associated by scientists to growing global temperatures. This year, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), the yearly full extent of Arctic sea ice reached a record low for the third year in a row.

This decrease of northern ice is rather that the Russian ship owners consider will last well into the future. Conservational champions, however, are concerned that swelled traffic in this unwelcoming zone.

As well as the danger of mishap or leakage, there are concerns that a number of the vessels that will navigate down this channel will be running their engines with heftier, filthier naval petroleum. The black carbon that they create could be very destructive to snow and ice in the area, fostering the thawing.