Ice and cold closed the Northwestern passage

Just as one would think that the ice around the Arctic was just melting more and more, it turns out that the Northwestern passage around Canada has been closed this year - for the first time in five years, due to ice and cold.

BY TOMAS KRISTIANSEN

Published: 28.10.14 at 14:46

While the season for the Northeastern passage has been fairly long this year with a six-week transit window, because the ice north of Russia melted early, things looked completely different on the other Arctic route, the Northwestern passage north of Canada.

In a new review of Arctic sailing in 2014, Global Ice Center - part of Japanese-based Weathernews - points out that the Northwestern passage has been closed for sailing due to poor weather conditions.