Russia, Canada to resume Arctic Bridge
Russia and Canada are talking about a revival of the Arctic Bridge – a sea route connecting Murmansk and Churchill.
The Arctic Bridge is a seasonal sea route linking Murmansk in Northern Russia with Churchill in Hudson Bay, Canada. Now, the route is only easily navigable about four months of the year, but it will become more and more viable as the climate warms.
Both Canada and Russia will benefit from using the Arctic Brigde, said Jeff McEachern from Port of Churchill at a forum in Krasnoyarsk on Siberia and the Arctic, m51 writes, citing RIA Novosti. Russia will get easier access to Northern American markets, while Canada can use the Northen Sea Route from Murmansk to Asia.
Read also: Canadian visit to Murmansk
The concept of an “Arctic Bridge”, with a hub in Churchill, was proposed by Canadians in the early 1990s. A protocol of intent on the establishment of a seaways trade route between Murmansk Oblast and the Province of Manitoba was signed in 2002.
The first shipment on the Arctic Bridge was conducted in October 2007, when the Murmansk Shipping Company’s vessel “Kapitan Sviridov” transported nitrogen fertilizers to Churchill, BarentsObserver then reported.
Two separate 9000 ton imports of Russian fertilizer took place in 2008, purchased by the Farmers of North America cooperative of Saskatoon from Kaliningrad, according to Wikipedia.
