The Northern Sea Route has recently attracted increasing attention from foreign countries. Especially unexpected steel doubt, who express the appropriateness of participation in the Northern Sea Route, some countries and large international companies.
Why the Northern Sea Route of the global community
The Northern Sea Route along the coast of Russia is the shortest artery, linking Asia and North Europe. The length of its entire 5600 km, which is significantly less, than the length of the usual routes from Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal and around Africa.
Under present conditions the importance of the Northern Sea Route increases. At first, It continues to increase the role of East Asia in the global economy. China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and several other countries are increasingly trading with the European Union and interested in, that their products were exported to Europe with minimal costs. But traditional maritime supply routes just look unprofitable because of the length and expense. Northern Sea Route, in its turn, It fits perfectly into the new concept of development of trade between Asia and Europe. It is well aware of China, promoting the idea of a new Silk Road.
Secondly, due TN. "Global warming" Arctic climate change, becomes softer and warmer. This entails melting of the ice and the release of sea areas for shipping. If the first Arctic, covered with ice, It was not interesting, but now a growing number of countries around the world turns its attention to the Arctic routes prospects for the development of communication between Asia and Europe.
Thirdly, The Arctic - a very important from the point of view of resource region of the world. There are huge reserves of natural resources, and the use of the Northern Sea Route and facilitates the availability of these resources, prospecting, development and operation of fields.
Today, several groups of countries can be identified, interested in the Northern Sea Route. First of all, it yourself "Arctic" countries - Russia, Canada, USA, Denmark, Finland. The United States has its interests in the Arctic, and not only economic, but also military and political, associated with the further deepening of confrontation with Russia and China.
Then it is Western Europe, for which the operation of the SMP opens new trade opportunities with Asia. Arctic highway allows European countries to develop economic relations with China and Japan, passing through the old ways dysfunctional Middle East.
Finally, This East Asian countries, also having its Arctic interests, among them separately stands out China as the most powerful economic and military-political sense Asian state. The plans for the construction of more and more new icebreakers illustrates the seriousness of the "Arctic" China ambitions.
Norway Northern Sea Route is not needed
His doubts about the advisability of joining the Northern Sea Route was of Norway - one of the few countries in the world, having access to the northern seas and their own economic and political interests in the Arctic.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Erickson said Sereyde, he did not see the economic feasibility of the Northern Sea Route. it, to put it mildly, craftiness, as someone who is too, Norway and accurately able to benefit directly from the use of SMP. Because the, for example, to deliver the goods from China, Japan, South Korea to Norway is much easier for SMEs, than the Suez Canal. And the Norwegian authorities are well aware, tea not idiots.
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But Norway is known for anti-Russian stance, brings it to the Baltic countries. The desire in whatever was hurt Russia to Norway, apparently, It is more important, than those obvious economic benefits, which provide the country with the Northern Sea Route. At least, Oslo said, that SMEs will not be using the port and on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen to the needs of the operation of the Northern Sea Route is also not provide.
Furthermore, head of the Norwegian diplomatic department said, that it is necessary to conduct an audit of the Northern Sea Route for compliance with certain environmental standards, put forward for ship routes in the Arctic. Ecology - a favorite horse of Norway, to which this Scandinavian country's authorities treat every time, when they want something to harm Russia.
Here and now, talking about the need for an environmental screening of the Northern Sea Route, Minister Sereyde, what is called, Bedroom - it's not in the economic expediency and not of Norway deep concern environmental protection, and in the creation of barriers and obstacles to Russia. To his neighbor a cow died, it is called.
Russia's position with regard to the position of Norway remains unambiguous. Russian authorities are considering the operation of the Northern Sea Route as an internal affair of the Russian Federation. Respectively, they do not have much to do with the position of Oslo. Norway does not want to use the SMP - please, It suffers from it will only itself Norway.
by the way, if anyone is not beneficial to the development of the Northern Sea Route, first of all Egypt, which controls the Suez Canal Zone. After all, due to the development of a new line of the Suez Canal value plummet. But Egypt just does not act with any statements, because its leadership is well aware of the futility of such a position - the world is changing and the development of the Northern Sea Route is becoming one of the evidences of the new economic and even political change.
The French company refuses to SMEs
In addition to Norway, the cost effectiveness of the Northern Sea Route for some reason it aroused doubt and a major international carrier - the French company CMA CGM.
CMA CGM - one of the leading marine container carriers of the modern world. The company controls approximately 14% total world container fleet. Therefore, such a giant position in relation to the Northern Sea Route may not cause interest. The CMA CGM announced, they are not going to use any one of the corridors of the Northern Sea Route, Although the melting of ice in the Arctic and the growing possibility of the passage of ships through the NSR can bring us big profits.
Its position the company explained practically by the same considerations, and that the Norwegian authorities. The CMA CGM claim, that we are concerned with questions of environmental protection and the conservation of biodiversity in the Arctic. therefore, despite the obvious economic benefits of using the Northern Sea Route, the company is not going to use it.
Board of Directors Chairman Rudolf Saad said, that CMA CGM is not going to use any routes, where it is necessary to cross the Arctic ice. Such a promise was given a top manager at the meeting of the President of France Emmanuel Makron with representatives of large French business. Now, according to the company manager, none of 500 Ships will not be included in Arctic waters, especially in those routes, that run along the coast of Siberia.
CMA CGM and urged other companies, engaged in international maritime transport, to follow its example and abandon harming the environment. Besides, the company plans to fully translate the used ships for liquefied gas, abandoning less safe in terms of ecology fuels.
Now it is difficult to say, what really guided by considerations of international forwarding. The environmental ideology of big business representatives, and even such a level and such areas of activity, hard to believe. but obviously, now an increasing number of actors in world politics and economics are trying to show their contempt for the Northern Sea Route. maybe, it is such a hidden attempt to pressure on Russia to open a sea route for the passage of foreign ships without Russian side notified.
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National or international route artery?
Debate about, whether foreign ships to go to northern waters along the Russian coast, recently become more acute. The main contender for the "accessibility" of the Northern Sea Route - United States. Major Western powers are not very popular with those opportunities, which now has a Russian control very promising artery.
US policy, captains, businessmen are constantly reminded in their speeches about, that the Northern Sea Route, as well as the Arctic as a whole, should belong "to all mankind". But we are well aware, that by "humanity", as well as under the "world community" and "the civilized world", USA understand themselves, well, maybe a few allied states, forming a "collective West". It is unlikely that the Americans are baked on the interests of China or even South Korea in the Arctic.
Defending their right to use the Northern Sea Route, Americans say, that the Arctic is not the property of the Russian Federation. And here they are right. But right only, that all the Arctic area not covered by the boundaries of a State, but they apply to certain areas and land, and seas.
The Northern Sea Route for the most part runs directly along the Russian coast, in the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. And for our country's control over the Northern Sea Route is due not only and not so much by economic considerations, as the need to ensure national security of the Russian state. Since no strong country does not allow foreign ships without proper authorization present in its territorial waters and navigate, especially if it's warships.
Recall, that 2019 года иностранные военные корабли могут передвигаться по Северному морскому пути при наличии уведомления российских властей и в сопровождении российского лоцмана. С торговым судоходством не так сложно, но и стоит отметить, что без российского сопровождения двигаться по Северному морскому пути намного опаснее.
Для большинства иностранных экипажей, даже при наличии современной навигационной техники и высоком уровне квалификации, перемещение по Северному морскому пути сопряжено с многочисленными рисками. Сопровождение российской стороной помогает эти риски если не нивелировать, то свести к минимуму.
Anyway, России не стоит оглядываться ни на другие государства, ни на международные корпорации. Развитие Северного морского пути – исключительное и законное право нашей страны, а пользоваться или нет этой артерией – пусть другие страны или международные корпорации решают сами. Time will put everything in its place, and at the same time show the true economic efficiency of shipping in the Arctic area.
Ilya Polonsky
