The Northern Sea Route Is Risky – and Russia Is Not Prepared

The Northern Sea Route Is Risky – and Russia Is Not Prepared

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has only cemented the views of Russian officials that the Northern Sea Route is the future of global trade — a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional shipping lanes that’s now made viable by melting Arctic ice.  But a recent oil spill in warmer, more accessible waters suggests that Moscow is not ready for the risks it is already taking.