LONDON, June 9. /TASS/. Anti-Russian sanctions prevent European companies from using the Northern Sea Route (NSR) – the shortest sea route from Europe to Asia, the Financial Times (FT) wrote, citing sources.
The publication notes that in 2018, the container ship Venta Maersk of the Danish logistics company Maersk became the first European cargo vessel to travel from Asia to Europe via the Arctic Ocean. However, since then, not a single major international sea carrier has used this route.
As a source close to Moller-Maersk told the publication, the company stopped using the Northern Sea Route and cooperation with Russia due to Western sanctions. When sailing in Arctic waters, container ships rely on maritime infrastructure or transport hubs that are almost entirely located in Russian territorial waters, and sometimes require the assistance of Russian icebreakers to use them.
In a commentary for the newspaper, Daniel Richards, head of the British consulting firm Maritime Strategies International, also attributed the caution of Western sea carriers to their desire to avoid any risks associated with geopolitical tensions. According to him, several cargo ships continue to use the Northern Sea Route, but their operating companies often maintain ties with Russia or China.
