T
he Northeast Passage is being opened
try, Finnish metal engineering companies
“This will be complemented by 3.2
for maritime traffic at a swifter pace
and their subcontractors are likely to end
million tons of transit traffic, shipped
than was anticipated. However, shipping
up with new prospects and job opportu-
through the entire length of the Northeast
remains a challenge since the Northeast
nities.
Passage. However, this estimate seems
quite low, considering that already in the
Passage is relatively shallow in compariRAPID INCREASES
season of 2012 the estimate for transit
IN MARITIME TRAFFIC
traffic is 1.6 million tons,” Hernesniemi
countered on the Northeast Passage from
In the autumn of 2011, the question of the
points out.
time to time. The risks of accidents on the
economic benefits to be gained from the
passage are consequently higher than on
northern maritime passage was focused
the alternative shipping routes.
on at a conference in Arkhangelsk.
son with the southern routes.
Furthermore, pack ice will be en-
Research Director for the Research
“Among other things, the partici-
Institute of the Finnish Economy ETLA,
pants pondered on the actual traffic vol-
Mr. Hannu Hernesniemi, expects that the
umes that will eventually become feasi-
Northeast Passage will offer a variety of
ble on the Northeast Passage. According
business opportunities for Finnish corpo-
to estimates, maritime traffic volumes on
rations.
the Northeast Passage will rise to 62 mil-
“Right now, Russia has a need for
lion tons by 2020. This total figure con-
ships specifically for utilisation in the North-
sists of 32 million tons to be shipped from
east Passage traffic – and for the arctic re-
Russia to the Atlantic Ocean, plus 22 mil-
gions generally,” Hernesniemi states.
lion tons of traffic from Russia to the Pa-
In addition to the maritime indus-
34
seatec 2/2012
cific Ocean.”