Significant Increase in Arctic Shipping Revealed in 10-Year Report

A new 10-year report from the Arctic Council’s Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) reveals a significant increase in shipping across the Arctic Ocean. The number of ships operating in the region rose by nearly 40% between 2013 and 2023, with fishing vessels being the largest category of vessels, followed by general cargo vessels and bulk carriers. The report attributes the increase in shipping to the growing extraction of natural resources, as well as major resource projects in the Canadian and Russian Arctic. It also notes a doubling of the total distance traveled by all ships in the last decade.

The study specifically highlights the traffic of two major resource projects in the Canadian and Russian Arctic, attributing the growth in shipping to projects such as the Yamal Gas Project and the Mary River Mine in Nunavut. Russian Arctic waters recorded the largest traffic growth during the study period, with cargo volumes along the Northern Sea Route increasing 13-fold over the past decade. The report also confirms Russia’s dominant position in Arctic shipping, with Russian-flagged ships making up the majority of ships operating in the region.

While Chinese investments in the Russian Arctic have increased, the report notes that Chinese involvement in Arctic shipping remains limited. However, in 2023, Chinese NewNew Shipping established the first regular container liner service in the region and plans to expand its Arctic service to seven ships by 2024.

Source .