Sea Blind

The ice of the Arctic Sea is melting rapidly, creating unparalleled opportunities for the shipping industry. The melted ice has provided a shorter route for the heavily polluting ships that sail from Rotterdam to Shanghai by way of Russia. The shipping industry is one of the most polluting and (so far) less regulated industries in the world.

During the spring of 2014, climate journalist Bernice Notenboom and two other adventurers try to ski from the North Pole to Canada. A hundred kilometres off the coast, the team is forced to abandon the attempt due to the lack of ice. The melting ice of the Arctic Sea is creating unparalleled opportunities for the shipping industry, however. The melted ice has provided a shorter route for the heavily polluting ships. The newly created route from Rotterdam to Shanghai by way of Russia is ten days shorter and saves them 10,000 euros a day in fuel costs.

The shipping industry is one of the most polluting and (so far) less regulated industries in the world. Seventeen of the largest ships emit more sulphur than all the cars in the world, and sulphur is known to cause severe health problems. Container ships emit clouds of soot, leaving dark deposits on the surrounding area and accelerating the melting process. The melting of the Arctic ice can be decelerated immediately by taking measures to prevent carbon soot emissions.