Rotterdam port welcomes first ship via the Arctic route

For a start, define them the way the US defines her waters.

As for restricted waterways, how about the natural resources that are concentrated in the US? Feel like making them a shared resource for the world, along the same reasoning you think some waterways cannot belong to any one country ?

Didn't think so.

 

No worries, shipmate.
It's just a discussion, and I don't take very many things personally, nor do I take myself all that seriously.

I apologize if my own response seemed to be more pointed than it was.

 

The US generally conforms to the UNCLOS treaty even though we're either not a signatory to that treaty - or if we signed it maybe it wasn't ratified. Not sure which is the case.
My personal experience in NECC is that we use the 12NM (nautical miles) limit, but we allow innocent traffic in as close as 3NM without getting our BVDs in a bunch.
I don't speak for the whole USofA, but I've seen how we enforce our territorial waters for 30-something years. Of course that depends on what you mean by "define her waters."
I remember one time when we had a bunch of "activists" harassing us. I just sicked the USCG on them.
Interesting thing about many of the "protesters" in the world.
They really DO NOT like being harassed by the USCG, what with all of those pesky laws against recreational pharmaceuticals and boating while intoxicated.... .
Technically I believe that the USCG has jurisdiction on the surface of the moon in some cases.....but then we're not talking about innocent passage when a boatload of drunken Earth Firsters are trying to impede with the rights of other traffic on the high seas.

This is one example of how America "defines her territorial waters."
They are a place where you can come and protest as long and loudly as you wish. They are a place where you may pass freely if you're engaging in commerce between nations without tribute or tax. They are also a place where, even if you engage in criminal activity, you may expect and in most cases you will receive fair and humane treatment.

I'll stand PROUDLY by America's policy with innocent traffic.
There are times and there have been situations where I have been ashamed of her actions, but tell you what.
Go get a boat load of your buddies and test how some of the other UNCLOS signatories treat people who violate THEIR territorial waters, and then come back and tell us how that worked out for you.

 

"Greenpeace’s icebreaker is to leave Arctic waters after the environmental group claimed Russian authorities threatened to use force against it."
Greenpeace icebreaker leaves Arctic waters - FT.com

 

^

Point, game, set, match.....

 

See? You're saying......no, wait.


This. It says 'might is right'. There's the rub.

 

ETC (SS) @26 mentioned mineral exploitation (in the arctic). Seems to be the only mention in this thread. I suppose this will become more important that through-shipping. A few months ago, there was discussion over whether US should join UNCLOSS, just to get a piece of that action. Where has that discussion gone lately? Anybody know?

+++

If the north Atlantic oscillation has strong control over arctic sea ice extent, then there should be a connection with

Climate Prediction Center - NAO: Plotted Historical Time Series

right? I suppose somebody could check.

 

Hmmmmmm, the Artic ice is melting is it? Could someone please explain how then has ice Increased by 60%, how 20 or more yachts got stuck in the ice up there? Why a cruise ship turned back from its Artic voyage due to ice and why that Chinese freight required two ice breakers to complete the northeast passage? With the requirement, as well as expense, of two ice breakers, the additional man power and the necessity to burn more fuel that doesn't sound very ice free, economical or environmentally "green" to me.

Global cooling: Arctic ice caps grows by 60% against global warming predictions | Mail Online

BTW: This is not the first time the Northeast Passage has been used for shipping, it's happened hundreds of times in the past.

 

^ Dear Chicken Little

I guess the western side of the Artic hasn't paid any attention to the IPCC memo and has actually increased its ice pack by 60% in one years time. So if ice melting on the east side proves "globe warming" pray tell what does increasing ice pack on the west side prove, a new ice age?

Oh, I guess the "Globe" isn't paying attention to the IPCC or the "climate scientists"" either! LoL! Because there hasn't been any "warming" since 1997. Which the IPCC and the "climate scientists" have acknowledged. In fact the latest report has been sent back to the IPCC by the member nations demanding a better explanation as to why the globe isn't warming!

Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

 

It will be really interesting to see if Russia abides by UNCLOSS.
I owe the other six nations (8 if you count Greenland and the Faroe Islands) profound apologies. I think I mentioned three nations earlier as THE three players in this drama, but there" may" be others that have legitimate mineral rights in the Arctic. Of course I don't see Greenland or Norway standing nose to nose with the Rooskies saying you can't fracking drill here (pun semi-intended.)
As soon as the environmental weenies stop fussing and cussing about shipping and twig to the fact that now we can do some frackin hydrocarbon exploration up there (pun fully intended) then we'll have one more thing that will cause the destruction of the planet to hear about.


...and they're worried about drive-by shipping???

 

^ Russia has issued over 400 permits this year or within the last year for shipping through the passage.

LoL! Bob you've beaten all around the bush and haven't once, that I recall, addressed the fact that the Artic ice pack has increased 60% in the last year. Chicken?

 

Arctic sea ice continues to thin, European Space Agency scientists say.

Data for 2011, 2012, 2013 from the Cryosat satellite.

 

No I don't think you did notice . . . LoL!

Hmmmmmmm, not going to be as low as the record set last year, eh? So last year the ice pack was lower than it will be this year. Tell me what does that mean?


"Although this summer's extent will not get near its all-time satellite-era minimum set last year, the very thin winter floes going into the melt season could mean that the summer volume still gets very close to its record low,"

Headed out for a road trip, replies will be delayed, have fun with this! LoL!

 

Ever hear of a Dead Cat Bounce?

 

Maybe the good news for commercial ship's traffic but for sure the Polar Bears are unhappy.
Below is the one dying of starvation due to the lack of ice on West Coast of Spitsbergen in August 2009 - poor guy, we had nothing to do for him...