Cargo Ships Navigate the Northeast Passage

“Two German container ships have successfully navigated the Russian Northeast Passage across Arctic waters from the Pacific for the first time in a voyage considered impossible until a few years ago.”

Reviving this old thread that didn’t garnered any interest back in 2009. It may be more relevant now?

The Northern Sea Route is now totally ice free and the activity is high: http://splash247.com/activity-along-...a-route-picks/
The North East Asian nations are actively exploring the possibilities of the NSR, but where are the North West Europeans??