Soren Toft, CEO of MSC
MSC has reaffirmed its stance against long haul Arctic shipping in light of renewed discussion of alternative routes between Asia and Europe following the blockage of the Suez Canal.
The closure of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given from 23 – 29 March, that could have potentially lasted much longer, prompted renewed discussion of alternative routes that avoid key choke points such as the Suez Canal, but do not necessitate much longer voyages as sailing via the Cape of Good Hope does.
One such solution is the Northern Sea Route (NSR) through the Russian Arctic which has seen increased activity and interest in recent years with it being ice free in the summer months.