Norwegian LNG carrier Ribera del Duerea Knutsen has been given permission by the Russian authorities to sail through to Asia via the Northern Sea Route. The ship owned by Haugesund-based Knutsen OAS Shipping is the first of its kind to receive such a permission. There aren’t many tankers with the proper Ice Class to be given the permit. As of yet Knutsen OAS Shipping does not have a contract for its offering to transport Norwegian gas from Snøhvit gas field through the route.
Sailing through Northeast Passage as the route used to be known cuts the travel time from Europe to Asia in half to around two weeks. Currently the passage is only open from June to October and even then ships normally need to be accompanied by icebreakers. There has been continuous speculation that the route might become available year-round, should the current trend of continuously warmer climate conditions persist. Others have speculated that possible changes in the ocean drifts might reverse the situation altogether.
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