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Global warming not enough to melt Northern Sea Route: eco researcher

SLOW global warming has vexed respected environmentalist Mia Bennett who is keen to see the development the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from Asia over the Russian Arctic to Europe in the face of colder weather.

"This summer, there was more ice in certain parts of the NSR than there had been in previous years...since the Arctic is not consistently melting from year to year," she said in an article that appeared in the Anchorage Alaska Dispatch.

"Dramatically fewer ships transited the Northern Sea Route in 2014 compared to the year before," said the Los Angeles-based Arctic researcher.

"Even more stunning is the fall in cargo volume: 2014 saw a mere 274,000 tons of cargo compared to 2013's 1,355,897 tons. That's a drop of 80 per cent," said Ms Bennett.

"The warning signs began with the unclear opening date of the Northern Sea Route. Conflicting news reports and lack of information from the Northern Sea Route Administration made it difficult to find out if the shipping route was open for business," she said.

"The shipping route did not open completely until August 21, although this was still earlier than in summer 2013, when the northeast portion of the passage remained closed until early September.

Despite this earlier opening date, as Barents Observer reports, only 23 cargo ships transited the Northern Sea Route this year.

This number is just over half of the 41 ships that sailed the entire length of the Northern Sea Route last year, as The Arctic Institute details in their report on the 2013 shipping season, she said.