Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumRussian Companies Pat Themselves On The Back As Superships Transit Northern Sea Route In Mid-January
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At the time, much of the world was consumed by US events leading up to President Joe Bidens inauguration, as well as the pandemic. Yet, the passing of the two tankers at Far North from opposite sides of Eurasia each without an icebreaker edged cargo shipping towards year-round movement from both ends of the Northern Sea Route. The Nikolay Zubov had left the Chinese port city of Dalian on Christmas Day, while the Christophe de Margerie was travelling east from northwest Siberia towards Cape Dezhnev, the Eurasian continents eastern extreme, as reported by Arctic newspaper Barents Observer.
Now the Christophe de Margeries arrival in January at Cape Dezhnev means that the window for goods transportation can be extended by up to two months, according to the Russian transport ministry. This, it hopes, will help develop the transit potential of the route, a key artery linking Asia-Pacific markets to the $27-billion Sabetta LNG port and its 26.5-trillion m3 onshore gas fields on northwest Siberias remote Yamal Peninsula.
Even more buoying for the Kremlin and Yamal LNG Project shareholders that is, Russian natural gas producer Novatek (50.1%), fossil-fuel giant Total (20%), Chinas National Petroleum Corporation (20%) and that countrys Silk Road Fund (9.9%) is how favourably the Northern Sea Route seems to compare with the Suez Canal.
It took the Christophe de Margerie just under 11 days to cover 2,500 nautical miles between Sabetta and Cape Dezhnev at an average speed of 9.5 knots, despite ice conditions and limited visibility, says the ministry. Carrying a similar consignment via the Suez could take up to 35 days. Carbon-dioxide savings on the Sabetta-Cape Dezhnev route amount to 3,000 tons or 30%, claims the vessels owner, Russian shipping company Sovcomflot. CEO Igor Tonkovidov praised the route for providing economic efficiency and significant reduction in the carbon footprint of cargo transportation, while Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev lauded the tankers Cape Dezhnev arrival as another important page in the development of the Northern Sea Route.
Ed. - Emphasis added, along with
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https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-01-31-young-people-are-in-big-trouble-if-the-future-is-gas-james-hansen-father-of-climate-change-awareness/
intrepidity
(7,272 posts)such a surprise!
Turbineguy
(37,285 posts)https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4327709/mmsi:212611000/imo 737187/vessel:CHRISTOPHE_DE_MARGERIE