Shallow draft

Trans-Arctic ships built to small size

THE looming prospect of trans-Arctic ship navigation has prompted China’s ship industry to develop container ships capable of seasonally sailing through the Russian side of the Arctic, ferrying containers between Eastern Chinese ports and Western European ports.

Because of comparatively shallow draft, Chinese trans-Arctic ships are being built to small size and intended to carry medium priority container traffic between China and Western Europe, with railways carrying high priority containers.

The increased sailing draft through the Canadian side of the Arctic invites operation of new generation Panamax size of container ships capable of carrying up to 14,000 TEU.

Perhaps in anticipation of future seasonal transCanadian-Arctic ship navigation, authorities at Quebec City have initiated plans to develop a container port intended to berth container ships that carry in excess of 8000 TEU and transfer containers to/ from railways and trucks.

To the southeast of Quebec City at Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, plans are underway to develop two container transshipment ports that would also gain a competitive edge courtesy of future trans-Arctic shipping.

Compared with sailing via the Panama Canal, future seasonal trans-Arctic shipping could extend a competitive advantage to the Port of Newark.

Mindful of future competition, officials at the Suez Canal Authority have developed plans to operation twin parallel navigation channels capable of providing passage to ships built to 20 metre depth by 65 metre beam, between the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean.

The development could in the future, transit container ships of up to 35,000 TEU sailing to western Mediterranean transshipment ports at Algeciras in Spain and Tangier in Morocco.

Ships of such capacity would simultaneously serve the East Asia — Western Europe container market along with transshipment destined for Eastern Canadian and Northeastern American ports.