Northern Route Tests

摘要

Shrinking Arctic sea ice has prompted Gazprom to try out LNG shipments via the Northern Sea route, the shortest maritime route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Russian gas giant has chartered Ob River from Greek Dynagas to take LNG from Norway's Snohvit plant to a terminal in Asia. The tanker, which will be accompanied by two nuclear icebreakers, left on Nov. 9 and should arrive in 20 days. Traders say Japan could be the destination. The normal route from Snohvit to Asia, via the Suez Canal, takes four or five weeks.