Melting Sea Ice Is Making the Northwest Passage More Dangerous
By melting Arctic sea ice, warming has led to a growth of shipping through the Northwest Passage, a route from Europe to Asia that traces the northern edge of Canada.
By melting Arctic sea ice, warming has led to a growth of shipping through the Northwest Passage, a route from Europe to Asia that traces the northern edge of Canada. But a new study finds a growing risk from more hazardous forms of sea ice, trimming the number of days during which ships can safely journey through Arctic waters.
Old, thick chunks of sea ice that tend to cluster near the North Pole are increasingly drifting southward toward Canada and into the path of ships. The younger, thinner ice that once held older ice in place is becoming more scarce as the region warms. For the cargo vessels, fishing boats, and cruise ships crossing the northwest passage, drifting chunks of old, thick sea ice pose a significant threat.
Read more at Yale Environment 360
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