Swiss shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has reiterated its commitment not to allow its ships to pass through the Arctic shipping lanes in light of the recent Houthi attacks that have fuelled discussions about alternative trade routes to the Suez Canal.
The Arctic shipping lane not only provides a shorter route between the Far East and Europe, but also allows ships to bypass conflict zones in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without having to detour around the Cape of Good Hope. However, MSC has reiterated that it will not use the Arctic route, a stance that the world's largest shipping company believes should be taken by the industry as a whole.
The company's president, Diego Aponte, initially made the commitment in 2019, citing environmental concerns, and reconfirmed it following the Suez Canal's Ever Given incident in 2021. The decision brings MSC in line with other major shipping companies such as CMA CGM, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, which have also previously committed to avoiding Arctic shipping lanes.
The Marine Conservation Society, a non-profit organisation, launched the Arctic Shipping Commitment initiative in 2019, and by 2022, 22 shipping lines and carriers, including 42.7 per cent of the global liner fleet, have pledged to avoid Arctic shipping lanes.
Bud Darr, MSC's executive vice president of maritime policy and government affairs, noted that the situation in the Red Sea and the restrictions imposed by the Panama Canal due to drought have reignited discussions on the viability of Arctic shipping routes due to their shorter distances and fuel savings.
‘We believe there are no shortcuts to decarbonisation in the shipping industry,’ said Bud Darr, while also highlighting the operational and safety challenges of the route, ’Navigating Arctic waters is extremely challenging due to ice, weather, lack of necessary chart information and limited infrastructure. Search and rescue and pollution response resources are far away, and despite developments and collaborations in the region, our vessels and crews are more or less on their own.’
https://www.cnss.com.cn/html/hyqy/20240729/354203.html
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