PARIS, Aug 22 — With Gulf turmoil slashing Suez Canal traffic, shipping firms are tempted to try the Arctic for quicker trips between Europe and Asia — but commercial prospects...

The Northern Sea Route, chiefly used by Chinese and Russian vessels, could shorten voyages and save fuel, but requires Russian cooperation.

South Korea will flag off on Saturday a container ship bound for Europe via the Arctic, testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially v