Era of Trans-Arctic Shipping Nigh tells that a German company, Belga Shipping, is in the midst of transporting machinery from Ulsan, South Korea, to Novvy Port, a Siberian outpost. The route through the Arctic is 8000 miles shorter than alternative routes. (The circumference of the Earth is about 25,000 miles, to place it in perspective.)
This is not the first modern journey through the Arctic - Russian government ships have been traversing the route during roughly two months of the year with ore and petroleum, but not commercial carriers. Which begs the question - why are they permitting it when they have historically protected those waters?
Continuing that thought, Russia Plans North Pole Paratrooper Drop tells that next year, Russia intends to parachute military troopers in a message of peace for the North Pole. Also recall in 2007, a Russian nuclear-powered submarine dropped a titanium Russian flag underwater in a claim to the territory of the North Pole. Also, earlier this month, Putin: border security is top priority declared that the Arctic borders were a top priority and a new policy would be soon released concerning the borders.
What is at stake? Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal: Estimates of Undiscovered Oil and Gas North of the Arctic Circle explains that the U.S. Geological Service has estimated, "The sum of the mean estimates for each province indicates that 90 billion barrels of oil, 1,669 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of natural gas liquids may remain to be found in the Arctic, of which approximately 84 percent is expected to occur in offshore areas. We also learn The Arctic Circle encompasses about 6 percent of the Earth’s surface, an area of more 8.2 million square miles. This plausibly represents about 25% of the world's remaining petroleum reserves.
Canada, U.S. to survey underwater mountain range tells that the two countries will begin mapping underwater mountain ranges to substantiate their claims to the Arctic riches. The United Nations' maritime law grants territorial claims to countries who can demonstrate their continental shelf extends into Arctic waters.
Mmm. There is a lot of energy (and consequently wealth) slumbering underneath those melting seas. I'm betting there will be a lot of overlapping claims from the undersea surveying. What happens then?
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