Arctic News

All low ice class ships have already exited the eastern sector and the only ships in the east that are expected to transit NSR are Sevmorput, Vasily Dinkov and two Yamalmax LNG carriers, all of which can return independently.

I still think much of “the crisis” last year happened in Atle’s head. In the end it was more or less normal winter navigation albeit not well organized by the Russians who ordered foreign-flagged ships to stop and wait even though they had only one icebreaker deployed in the region. I spotted Arc7s pushing 19 knots while sailing past those ships reported to be “stuck in ice” and “in need of rescue”.

Norwegian Navy hold exercise in Northern Norway:

They may look like barges at first glans:

But they are the fastest Naval vessels in the world, with a top speed of 60 kts.:

Barents Press network shuts down:

Manwhile Barents Observer starts Russian language Youtube channel to break through the censorship wall:

No it was Norway that blew up the Nord Stream pipelines.

Can Russia do this?:

Will that re-open a can of worms in the Canadian Arctic?:

If the Russians can so can the Canadians (and v.v.)

China claim their right to free navigation on both the NSR and the NW Passage per UNCLOS, which is clear on the matter (??)
The US has not ratified UNCLOS, so they have no sayso here (??) (Outside Alaskan territorial waters at least)
Russia has been banned from the Arctic Council so that forum is not available to resolve the question of the NSR and has not been able to resolve the US/Canada dispute.

Cooperation in the Barents region in the Arctic is ending (for now??):

In better days:


Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Barents cooperation in 2013, then prime ministers Dmitri Medvedev and Jens Stoltenberg walked side-by-side across the Norwegian-Russian border. Ten years on, Medvedev is babbling about nuclear war, while Stoltenberg is head of NATO.
Photo: Thomas Nilsen

Could the USCG be planning a trip along the NSR?

The Chinese icebreaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon) did use the NWP in 2017:

PS> Xue Long is not a military vessel.

The legal aspects of freedom of Navigation along either route is clarified here:

Russia offer to supply gas to Europe:

The Arctic Railway is in the discussion again:

Alternative Arctic Railway:

Kiruna, Sweden is active in the news today:

PS> Not only Europe and not only for EV, Iphons and wind turbines. Military equipment of all sorts as well.

PS> In Kirkenes the sun got above horizon again for the first time this year today.

image
Port development on the coast of the Yenisey Bay as part of the Vostok Oil project.
Photo: Rosneft

Will Greenland seek to become independent anytime soon?:

The appeal court has approved the acquittal of Andrey Yakunin for flying drones in Svalbard:

His sailboat “Firebird” is now in Åndalsnes:


MASSIVE: The boat is massive and eye-catching. The same can be said about the 38 meter high mast. PHOTO: TROND ARVID ALUND

When the Firebird docked in Molde for nine days, it was without the owner himself onboard.
According to British skipper Andrew Lis, the drone-accused Russian would follow.
He is probably on board now at Åndalsnes this weekend.

He is now free to spend time in Norway. According to an earlier report he has never been in this part of Norway but intend to spend abt. three weeks enjoying the nature and exploring Northwest Norway, (but without using drones) before returning to his home in Italy.
Source: smp.no today