Advantage North & Arctic Shipping: The Promise of the Northwest Passage and Marine Transportation

Icebreaker Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 11)

Port expansion, arctic shipping and economic development in the north will be effected by global warming and the opening of the Northwest Passage.

My professional interests have historically focused on the Alaskan marine transportation industry. A group of like-minded souls met recently in Whitehorse, Yukon to discuss resource development and transportation challenges in the north. Two groups, the Western Transportation Advisory Council and Van Horne Institute, organized the conference entitled Advantage North. The cost and capacity of the transportation system in the north directly effect its economic development. Excellent speakers including Yukon Transportation Minister Archie Lang and Northwest Territory Transportation Minister Kevin Menicoche. One ongoing topic of discussion is the northwest shipping passage through the Canadian arctic.

Global Warming and Transportation – The multi-year ice pack of the Arctic has shrunk more than 14% since 1980 and half of the ice present in 1950 is now gone. Shrinking of the ice pack could mean the beginning of routine shipping through the Northwest Passage. Several outside influences including the political instability of Panama and the potential cost savings associated with the route will make the passage even more attractive. Using the Northwest Passage could save millions to dollars to worldwide shipping companies. A shipment from Europe to Asia is around 2,500 miles shorter via the Northwest Passage compared to using routing through the Panama Canal. The Northwest Passage represents a naturally created alternative to the Panama Canal.

Two Northern Routes – Oran Young discusses some of marine transportation issues associated with the Northwest Passage in Arctic Shipping: A Tale of Two Passages. Young describes the differences that exist between the Northeast Passage maintained by Russia and the little traveled Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. The former Soviet Union has expended a great deal of funding to develop their Northeast Passage. In comparison, little has been done to develop the Northwest Passage. It appears that the nature of the Northwest Passage will change and it could become ice-free within the next fifty years.

Sovereignty – The United States and many countries consider the Northwest Passage international waters. Canada has always considered the area as internal waters and claims sovereignty over the area. There have been several well-publicized crossings made by United States ships in the last few years. The International Law of the Sea generally recognizes the treatment of ice-covered areas as different from normal waterways. Countries are allowed to protect what are perceived as very environmentally sensitive waters. Once the ice disappears, the claim of internal waters goes away with it. The current code of conduct of the Northwest Passage is voluntary. There has been much apprehension expressed by the United States government over Canada’s claim of sovereignty. It is also unlikely that Canada is looking forward to enforcing its national will on Russian, American or Japanese shipping interests using the route. Canada’s maritime conflicts with Spain and Denmark on the East Coast will seem minor in comparison.

Risks – No doubt shipping through the Northwest Passage will impact the people and natural resources of the Arctic. New players to the region add to the competition for natural resources. Conflicts over natural resource management will escalate rapidly. There are ice resistant oil tankers operating in the Siberian Sea. Many more eco-tourism ships are plying the Arctic Ocean. Access to and mining of oil, gas and mineral deposits improve. One can only imagine the negative influences of these activities left unregulated. The discharge of tailings, oil, waste and ballast water will greatly influence this remote region. Cleanup would occur only under very difficult conditions.

Planning and Protection – Russia is working to make the Northeast Passage a viable shipping route. It takes a strong stance in protecting its sovereignty. Canada has yet to make a similar commitment to the future use of the Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage may make itself available for use by world shipping at little cost within the next century. When this happens, the time for effective planning will be limited. Planning for use of the Northwest Passage should begin now.

Copyright © 2008 by Alan Sorum – First published at http://boatingsailing.suite101.com on 10 June 2007.