A positive potential effect of global warming
This is exciting - there is speculation that the North-East Passage could be open to year-round commercial shipping within a decade. This would permit commercial shipping along the Siberian shore of the Arctic Ocean and would allow the longer southern route through the Suez Canal to be by-passed, or simply give an alternative route.
If this happens it would cut shipping distances between Europe and East Asia from 11,000 to 7,000 nautical miles and cut the journey time from 35 to 22 days. Freight costs should be significantly reduced although this will depend greatly on a 'realistic' attitude by the Russian authorities with regard to transit taxes they might levy.
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