China made history earlier this week after sailing a commercial cargo-ship through the Arctic to Europe for the first time ever. But the journey, a time-saving shortcut comes with dangers.
Hundreds of sailors have died trying to sail the Northern Sea Route. Pack ice, violent storms and plummeting temperatures make it one of the most dangerous passages in the world. Just a few days before the Yong Sheng arrived in Rotterdam, another vessel, carrying nearly 5-thousand tons of diesel fuel, hit ice in the Arctic and began taking on water.
No one was injured and no fuel leaked - but it highlights the dangers faced by ships in the region.
Captain Zhang Yutian said, "In the Arctic the visibility is not good. It’s very different, in the Arctic there’s the ice, in the Suez Canal it is sunny. The North Sea Route distance is shorter.
On-board the Yong Sheng the latest equipment helps the Captain and his 19 crew members traverse the icy waters. It’s tough work in harsh conditions - with help, if needed, not easy to come by.
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| The voyage Yong Sheng of China Ocean Shipping (Group)
Company (COSCO) arrives in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Sept. 10, 2013. It is the first time a Chinese merchant vessel completed its journey over the slowly melting Northern Sea Route, which was 9 days and 2,800 nautical miles less than the conventional routes transiting the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal. (Xinhua/Jia Lirui) |
No one was injured and no fuel leaked - but it highlights the dangers faced by ships in the region.
Captain Zhang Yutian said, "In the Arctic the visibility is not good. It’s very different, in the Arctic there’s the ice, in the Suez Canal it is sunny. The North Sea Route distance is shorter.
On-board the Yong Sheng the latest equipment helps the Captain and his 19 crew members traverse the icy waters. It’s tough work in harsh conditions - with help, if needed, not easy to come by.
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