From Ice to Opportunity: The Arctic and the Race for Icebreaker Supremacy

From Ice to Opportunity: The Arctic and the Race for Icebreaker Supremacy

13 Nov 25
Posted by: SLt Isaac Robinson RN
6 minutes, 52 seconds read
Message from the Editor

The author provides a primer on the Arctic sea-route arms race, a unique theatre where renewed investment has transformative strategic potential. A 10 minute read.

The 20th of September saw the departure of the Chinese-owned container vessel, the Istanbul Bridge, on a new trialled shipping route to Europe via the Arctic sea routes. Though this is not the first time containerised sea traffic has made this journey, the passage of the Istanbul Bridge is different as it will be making multiple stops in Europe, first at Felixstowe in the UK, then on to Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Gdańsk. Unlike previous Arctic voyages, this resembles a normal multi-stop shipping route[1] rather than a one-off transit. With the rise in global temperatures and the retreat of Arctic…

You are not currently logged in. Please sign in now or click here to join today.