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+--- Thread: Climate change has opened a shipping route through the Canadian Arctic (/thread-185.html)
Climate change has opened a shipping route through the Canadian Arctic - C C - Oct 30, 2014
http://geology.com/articles/northwest-passage.shtml
EXCERPT: The Northwest Passage is a sea route that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In the past, the Northwest Passage has been virtually impassable because it was covered by thick, year-round sea ice. However, in the past few years, climate change is allowing commercial traffic to pass through the Arctic Ocean via this once impossible route.
The potential benefits of a clear Northwest Passage are significant. Ship routes from Europe to eastern Asia would be 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) shorter. Alaskan oil could move quickly by ship to ports in the eastern United States. The vast mineral resources of the Canadian North will be much easier and economical to develop and ship to market....