Russian opens short-cut Asia sea route

Faster and cheaper than tha Suez route

Russia has opened a shortcut northern sea route from Europe to Asia across the Arctic, reasserting itself as the dominant power in the startegic mineral-rich region.
A Russian tanker , escorted by powerful nuclear icebreakers, successfully skirted the ice bound Arctic coastline of Russia with a load of gas condensate for China.
The 114,564- tonne tanker Baltica is the first super vessel to navigate the northern waterway. Earlier, only ships with a maximum deadweight of 14,000 tonnes ventured the route. Official said the succesful journey proved the route route was safe and economically viable.
The Arctic Sea route is almost twice faster than the Suez canal route and about 15 percent cheaper, according to Leonoid Mikhelson, head of Novotek, a Russian natural gas company which has sent the Baltica on its trailblazing vayage.