Northwest Passage (Canadian Arctic)

Northwest Passage is an Arctic Ocean route in North America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The route goes along Canada's northern coast via Arctic waterways (sea channels) through the Canadian Arctic islands. All the Arctic sea waterways that separate these islands are known as "Northwest Passages" and also as "Northwestern Passages".

As result of the Vikings' westward explorations, hunting expeditions and Greenland settlements, they sailed west and north reaching the islands Ellesmere, Skraeling and Ruin, trading here with the Inuit people.

The Northwest Passage route was officially discovered by Sir Robert John Le Mesurier McClure (1807-1873, an Irish explorer). In 1850, he transited the Northwest Passage (by boat and sled) as part of his circumnavigation of both Americas.

The Northwest Passage's eastern entrance was found in 1819. During the 1903–1905 expedition, the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) transited the Canadian Artic passage. This was the world's first actual ship crossing of the Passage, as Amundsen used a small expedition ship (schooner, named "Gjoa") hugging the coast.

In 1957, three USCG Cutters (Bramble, SPAR, Storis) were the first-ever motor ships to cross the Passage route with length approx 7250 km (4500 mi) in 64 days.

In 1969, the ice-strengthened supertanker SS Manhattan was the ever first cargo ship that traversed the Passage. The vessel was accompanied (assisted) by the Canadian icebreaker ship John MacDonald. This voyage was only done to test the Passage as an alternative to the Alaska Pipeline project. The Passage was determined not economical and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was built (between 1974-1977).

Until 2009, most of the pack ice in the region prevented regular Arctic Ocean shipping traffic. Nowadays, the Arctic shrinkage has rendered this route more navigable. There are contested sovereignty claims over the Arctic Ocean waters (see below) that further complicate marine shipping through the Northwest Passage. Canada considers these passages part of the country's internal waterways. USA and some European countries claim these are international waterways (including the transit passage). Another complication is that the Passage's eastern end has depth just 15 m (49 ft) which reduces the route's viability as a marine shipping route.

A Chinese cargo shipping line has announced its plans to operate regular boxships (containerized cargo ships) transits through the Northwest Passage, thus connecting China with East Coast USA-Canada and Europe. These plans became more viable after the September 2013's successful transit done by the bulk carrier Nordic Orion (73,500 DWT), as the cargo vessel was fully loaded and too large to transit through Panama Canal.

The potential benefits of the Passage are significant - around 4000 km (2500 mi) shorter cargo shipping routes between Europe and East Asia, faster and cheaper transportation of the Alaskan oil to ports on the East Coast USA, easier developing and shipping of the Canadian Arctic's mineral resources.

Where is the Northwest Passage (map)

According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO, founded in 1921), the Northwestern Passages limits are as follows:

• Western limit - Beaufort Sea's eastern limit [through the Prince Patrick Island's southwest coast to Griffiths Point), the northwestern tip of Banks Island, through Banks' western coast to Cape Kellet's southwestern point) and to Cape Bathurst (mainland Canada)
• Northwestern limit - Lands End, Prince Patrick Island, C Columbia, Ellesmere Island
• Northeastern limit - Ellesmere Island's coast ( between C Columbia and C Sheridan) and Baffin Bay's northern limit.
• Eastern limit - Ellesmere Island's eastern coast (between C Sheridan and Cape Norton Shaw) to Phillips Point (on Coburg Island) through Coburg Island to Marina Peninsula and to Cape Fitz Roy (on Devon Island) down its eastern coast to Cape Osborn and to Cape Liverpool (on Bylot Island), down the Bylot's eastern coast to Cape Graham Moore, across to Cape Macculloch, down Baffin Island's eastern coast to East Bluff (Baffin's southeastern extremity) and the Hudson Strait's eastern limit.
• Southern limit - mainland Canada coast (Hudson Strait), the bay's northern limits, mainland Canada from Beach Point to Cape Bathurst.

The Northwest Passage map shows that marine vessels traveling west enter through Baffin Bay, then pass through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (by some of the above-listed routes), exit into Beaufort Sea, and through Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea enter the Pacific Ocean. Recent satellite images taken near the summer's end (early September) show large portions of the Northwest Passage being relatively free of ice.

There is a progressive (steady) decline in the ice thickness in the region. NASA studies have shown the decline rate is several % per decade. Discharge rates of the Eurasian rivers draining into the Arctic Ocean are also increasing due to melting glaciers. These freshwaters are much warmer than the Arctic's.

Arctic Ocean waters dispute

Canada claims that some of the Northwest Passage waters (those in the Canadian Arctic) are internal waterways (waters), giving the country the right to control transits through these waters. Most maritime nations (including the USA and those in Europe) classify these waters an "international strait", where all vessels have the right of transit the passage. Canada would still have the right to enact regulations (including fishing and environmental), laws (including fiscal and smuggling) and safety shipping regulations, but not the right to close the Northwest Passage. When (eventually) the passage’s waters during summer become completely free of ice, they would allow Arctic transition of supertankers - too big to pass through Panama Canal and otherwise navigating around South America (through the Strait of Magellan).

• In 1985, the USCG icebreaker Polar Sea transited the passage from Greenland to Alaska. The event resulted in a diplomatic incident. In 1986, Canada issued a declaration reaffirming its rights to these waters. The USA refused to recognize the claim. In 1988, both governments signed "Arctic Cooperation" agreement resolving the issue without solving the questions about the passage's sovereignty. Under the law of the sea, marine vessels engaged in transit passage are not permitted to research. However, the 1988's Canada-USA agreement allows USCG ships engaged in research would require permission from Canada to pass through.
• In 2005 was reported that US nuclear submarines had traveled through the Canadian Arctic waters. Later, the US Navy released photos of USS Charlotte (Los Angeles-class submarine) at the North Pole.
• On April 9, 2006, Canada declared that its military will no longer refer to this Arctic Ocean region as "Northwest Passage", but as "Canadian Internal Waters".
• On July 9, 2007, Canada's Prime Minister announced the establishment of a deep-water port in the region. On the next day, two US Rear Admirals - Timothy McGee (US Navy) and Brian Salerno (USCG) - announced that the USA would be increasing its Arctic patrol ability.

Northwest Passage routes

The Northwest Passage route includes 3 sections:

Eastern route - east of Baffin Island (between Baffin and Greenland) to Lancaster Sound (located at the island's northern end), west of Baffin Island (through Hudson Strait, located south of Baffin), north through Foxe Basin, west through Fury-Hecla Strait, north to Lancaster Sound (through Boothia Gulf and Prince Regent Inlet). However, this route is considered impractical as Fury-Hecla Strait is usually closed by pack ice.

Northern route - from Lancaster Sound west through Parry Channel to Prince of Wales Strait (located on Victoria Island's northwestern side), southwest through Prince of Wales Strait (located between the islands Victoria and Banks).

Southern route - from Lancaster Sound west past Prince Regent Inlet (exiting west through Bellot Strait), past Somerset Island, south through Peel Sound (between the islands Somerset and Prince of Wales), either southwest through Victoria Strait or directly south (through the straits Rae and James Ross) then west through Simpson Strait (located south of King William Island) going into the Queen Maud Gulf, then west alongside mainland Canada and south of Victoria Island.

Northwest Passage cruise terminal