The North West Passage

1. The North West Passage Navigating the Arctic Teacher information and role play resources

2. The Northern Passages of the Arctic • Shipping • Business • Geopolitics

3. Shipping On September 14th 2009, two German container ships crossed the exit point of the Russian North East Passage at Novaya Zemlya. This voyage from the Pacific Ocean had been considered impossible for vessels of this size until a few years ago. The Beluga Shipping Company, who owns the two ships, had been allowed to return home from South Korea having been approved by the Defence Ministry and Federal Security Service in Moscow. The Arctic shipping passage to the north of Russia, as well as the North West Passage above Canada are increasingly accessible for large scale vessels which belong to commercial shipping companies. With the polar ice caps melting at an increasing rate each year, scientists now estimate that 1300 sq. kilometres have been lost since 1960. The passages are opening up, allowing an increase in human activity in the Arctic. Traditionally, trade vessels were sent between Asia and Europe, either through the Suez canal in Egypt (if small enough) or around the Cape Horn of South America. With seasonal ice-free passages developing over Siberia and Greenland, even the largest of ships can begin to by-pass Cape Horn, cutting off thousands of miles. A journey from South Korea to the Netherlands is 11 000 nautical miles (12,658 miles). However, using the North East Passage, approximately 3000 nautical miles (3,452 miles) and 10 days of travel can be saved. The reduction in fuel costs for shipping companies if each journey could be contained within the northern hemisphere would be significant. In addition, this shortening of travel time for shipping could also reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions. Cargo ships, in 2007, were responsible for 3% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Potentially, this figure could be reduced by up to half, with the increased usage of the North East and North West Passages. However, there are additional complexities because the increased emissions of ‘black carbon’ in Arctic Regions from shipping could, in theory, increase the rate of melting of the polar ice caps. 1879- Nils Nordenskjold of Sweden completed the first successful voyage through the North East Passage. (assisted by ice-breakers). In 2002- Eric Brossier , a French sailor, becomes the first man to sail the North East Passage in a sailing boat. In the North West Passage however, many people are less optimistic than the shipping industry. The Canadian Arctic Archipelago which forms part of the passage could be described as a ‘drain-trap’ for ship-wrecking ‘multi year ice’. Stephen Howell a climatologist notes. "We call it a 'MYI invasion' and that's going to be the threat as we transition to an ice-free summertime Arctic. The first-year ice, that's sort of like Swiss cheese and you can just plow through it," he says. This ice freezes over a winter and is seldom thicker than three feet (one meter). Often, first-year ice melts the summer after it's frozen, but if it doesn't, it becomes thicker the following winter and becomes multiyear ice. "The multiyear ice isn't like Swiss cheese; it's solid and trouble" for ships that collide with it. "Even in 2040, when there might be no more summer ice in the Arctic, the archipelago could still be clogged with ice.“

5. Business Since the 16th century, business owners and traders have dreamed of the creation of a north eastern passage linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Potentially lucrative new trade routes are now appearing between Europe and Asia. The 2009 Beluga Company project has enabled six trade contracts between Germany and northern Siberia in Russia. Having already transported 12 000 tonne vessels through the North East Passage, Beluga hope to increase their fleet, with ships able to carry twice this load. The opening of the Northeast Passage to commercial shipping may lead to an Arctic boom for Siberia as the region turns into an important transit location. Beluga estimated that it saved $300,000 (£180,000) per ship in reduced fuel consumption and time at sea (compared to travelling via the Suez canal), a figure that it expects to double with the larger vessels. Geological surveys also indicate that the Arctic contains huge reserves of oil and natural gas. The oil and gas reserves in the wider Arctic region could be worth as much as $7tn. Many oil companies are keen to see the Greenland government granting new exploration licences, which could bring significant economic investment to this country. According to a 2009 US Geological survey, there could be 90bn barrels of oil (a third of the size of Saudi Arabia's reserves) and 5otn cubic metres of gas in the wider Arctic region. While the gas discovery has centred attention on hydrocarbons, there is also a parallel initiative to uncover metal ore deposits, precious stones (such as diamonds and rubies) and rare earth products. The Greenland government is also considering whether to allow the mining of uranium. With unemployment in some towns reaching 15% these opportunities provide a significant potential to bring new economic investment into Greenland.

7. Geopolitics International disputes have been the result of an opening Arctic Ocean. There are five Arctic nations; Russia, Denmark, USA, Canada and Norway. They all hold different political stances on the ownership of the Arctic. Canada says it has full rights over those parts of the North West Passage that pass through its territory and that it can bar transit there. However, the EU and principally USA, claim the passage to be an international strait that any vessel can use. If Canada were given rights over these waters, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which make up their ‘internal waters’, they would be able to regulate the environment, smuggling, shipping and whaling. In 1988 the ‘Arctic Cooperation’ was agreed between USA and Canada. On April 9th 2006, Canada declared that the North West Passage would now be referred to as the Canadian Internal Waters. Then on July 9 2007, Prime Minister Harper announced the establishment of a deep-water port in the far north. Currently the situation in Canada is that any foreign vessel can have free uninhibited passage, as long as they do not divulge in any activity other than travelling steadily and purposefully. Greenland, owned by Denmark is a vulnerable region because of potentially conflicting demand over the maintenance of a ‘wild land’ and the use of its natural resources and minerals. Russia have the largest Arctic frontier, and similarly to Canada claim rights of the area around the North East Passage. Since the cold war, Russia have performed much research within the Arctic.

8. Geopolitics • Present: the diagram shows the current Laws of the Seas over Nation Sovereignty over Maritime space. The EU and US particularly disagree with Canada over the right of passage through the North West Passage. • The current agreement is that any foreign vessel can have free uninhibited passage, as long as they do not undertake any activity other than travelling steadily and purposefully. Canada holds any rights to enforcing laws on trade, environmental protection and military activity • Future: There is currently no cooperative Arctic treaty although the Arctic Ocean Geopolitics Programme is an effort to provide researched information to help collaboration and international & sustainable management of the Arctic. • However, this area has significant potential to raise disputes between countries over access to and control of the Arctic. For example, in 2007, a number of countries expressed concern when a Russian submarine planted a Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole. • http://www.jamestown.org/uploads/media/Jamestown-BaevRussiaArctic_01.pdfhttp://www.research-horizons.cam.ac.uk/researchnews/new-programme-to-facilitate-arctic-geopolitics.aspx

9. Classroom Activity In 4 or more groups, using the countries below, do some background research and map out a case to present your particular claim over the NWP with historical content and modern opinions. Russia, Canada, Iceland, Denmark, USA, Norway -Arctic Nations.

10. Diplomatic Envoys-Links and Sources Russia: http://le-grand-nord-en-questions.over-blog.com/article-russia-arctic-claim-lomonossov-an-american-point-of-view-76226528.html a good source for all countries Canada: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_the_Arctic -> excellent for all Arctic countries http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2009/02/27/f-arctic-sovereignty.html-> Canadian military presence • Denmark: http://www.indexmundi.com/denmark/maritime_claims.html http://www.hydro-international.com/issues/articles/id452-A_UNCLOS__A_Danish_Approach.html USA: http://globalsolutions.org/files/public/documents/LOS_Factsheet.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_non-ratification_of_the_UNCLOS http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/20/us-shell-drilling-arctic Norway: http://www.indexmundi.com/norway/maritime_claims.html http://globalbrief.ca/blog/2011/06/27/norwegian-grand-strategy-and-the-arctic/ Iceland: http://www.cctechnol.com/site74.php http://www.indexmundi.com/iceland/maritime_claims.html

11. RED DOTTED- International Waters http://eurodialogue.org/files/fckeditor_files/artic-oil.jpg