NPR

World's Largest Shipping Company Heads Into Arctic As Global Warming Opens The Way

Container giant Maersk will send one of its ships through the Arctic on the Northern Sea Route to test its feasibility as a new, time-saving shipping lane.
An aerial view of the Yevgeny Primakov icebreaker on the ice-covered Neva River in St. Petersburg, Russia. Maersk, the world's largest shipping line, is testing a Vladivostok to St. Petersburg route through the Arctic.

Maersk, the world's largest container line, is about to test the frigid waters of the Arctic in a trial of shorter shipping lanes that could become viable as warmer temperatures open up the Northern Sea Route.

On or around Sept. 1, Denmark-based Maersk plans to send its first container ship through the Arctic to explore whether the once inhospitable route could become feasible in the future. Many analysts

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
Short-term Loss For Long-term Gain? The Ethical Dilemma At The Heart Of EVs
As mines meet mineral demands for electric vehicles, they put communities and ecosystems at risk. Sustainability researcher Elsa Dominish says the EV industry cannot repeat fossil fuel's mistakes.
NPR4 min read
Yes, Apple's New IPad Ad Is Ugly And Crushing, But Art Can't Be Flattened
The newest iPad ad depicts instruments, books and art supplies flattened into Apple's thinnest product ever. But anyone who owns and loves art in any form knows: The practicality isn't the point.
NPR2 min read
2 Skiers Killed After Being Caught In Utah Avalanche, Sheriff Says
Two skiers were killed and one was rescued after they were buried in an avalanche in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City that occurred after several days of spring snowstorms, authorities said.

Related Books & Audiobooks