Ships plowing the Arctic waters have made a good start at plugging the North West Passage. During the first season the open Passage has been used by commercial shipping, at least three large vessels have gone aground along this uncharted waterway: a tanker, a cruise ship and freighter. Each one hit rock bottom. Well, the tanker mounted a sand bar, but it still grounded and stuck. The cruise ship wth over 300 sight-seeking tourists on board, including Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood who one would have thought had a more conscious regard for the environment, struck a rock and stuck. It took three days to remove the passengers to safety by helicopters and the Canadian Coast Guard. Is there any sense of responsibility when ships, especially large cruise ships plowing the Arctic region for gawping sightseeing tourists risk the hazards of passage without an experienced pilot to guide them? Three pile-ups in the first season makes another Valdez oil spill certain soon – at grave risk to the environment and public expense, of course. Is there any chance of the North East Passage opening up to ocean traffic?
Tags: Politics