The bulk carrier left the harbor in Kirkenes, Northern Norway loaded with iron ore concentrate on September 4th and reported that it turned 180 degrees south at the Bering Strait in the early morning on September 15th.
- Sailing the Northern Sea Route from Kirkenes to the Pacific Ocean in just 12 days is faster than we expected, says Felix H. Tschudi to BarentsObserver.
Tschudi is both a shipping company owner and the largest shareholder in Northern Iron, the mining company that operates in Kirkenes. “MV Nordic Barents” belongs to the Danish shipping company Nordic Bulk Carriers.
BarentsObserver has earlier this autumn reported that it is very little ice along the Northern Sea Route.
The ongoing global warming with the retreating of the sea ice makes the Arctic shortcut highly interesting for the world’s shipping industry. Sailing from Europe to Asia via the north save time and money compared to sailing through the Suez channel or around Africa.
Read also: The future history of the Arctic is now
With the successful Arctic journey this autumn, Felix H. Tschudi is not excluding more iron-ore cargo to be shipped the same route next year.
- Of course we are thinking about next year. But, it is still too early to conclude. There are no concrete talks, but, yes, maybe, says Tschudi.
