Russia’s northern exposure

The melting of ice sheets in the Arctic is seen as a looming climate disaster for most countries – but for Russia it’s a lucrative opportunity.

It has opened up the Northern Sea Route, a passageway from northern Europe to Asia that the Kremlin says is a faster route than the Suez Canal.

The route, which stretches for thousands of kilometres along Russia’s Arctic coastline, cuts almost two weeks off a trip from Hamburg to Tokyo.

Cargo volumes on the route have increased tenfold over the past decade, reaching 32 million tonnes last year. President Vladimir Putin wants that figure to almost triple by 2024.

Much of the cargo is oil, liquefied natural gas and other fuels from Canada, China and Russia going to Europe.

Environmentalists warn easier access to Arctic waters comes with increased risks for the region’s fragile ecosystem. A spill of shipping fuel would be disastrous in the Arctic, and close to impossible to clean up given the difficult conditions,