French international energy company Total announced Aug. 17 that the tanker Christophe de Margerie completed its first voyage — which began on July 27 — while carrying cargo. The specially outfitted liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, which has a shipping capacity of 80,000 metric tons, started its journey in Norway and ended it in South Korea. It previously started test voyages without cargo in March. The ship is part of an eventual 15 tanker fleet that will focus on transporting LNG from the Yamal plant in Russia, as well as Norwegian LNG facilities.
The Christophe de Margerie is not a typical LNG tanker, but rather an ice-class ship outfitted to carry LNG. It — and other ships like it — will be able to travel the Arctic route without an escort. Traversing the Northern Sea Route cuts transit time in half for shipments from the much-hyped Yamal LNG facility to Asia. This is a vital advancement for the Yamal facility because it allows for more efficient, year-round export. The route through the Bering Strait will be used for part of the year when ice thickness is lower. At times when the ice thickness exceeds the ships' capabilities, LNG will be transported to Europe and then transferred to the conventional route through the Suez Canal.
Territorial claims and oil and gas developments in the Arctic.
Specialized shipping like this LNG project is just one of the first small steps toward greater use of the route, a signpost in our forecast regarding increased interest in the Arctic as climatic changes make the region more accessible. However, regular use of the route for general trade probably won't take place until much later because environmental conditions still place constraints on the types of ships that can be used. The continued decline in the extent of Arctic ice cover has elevated the region's importance in recent years for both the military and energy sectors. Arctic nations — as well as others with key interests — have already begun positioning themselves for control and influence in the region.
