MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has confirmed that it will not explore the use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for container shipping between Europe and Asia.
While some shipping lines are looking to develop the use of the Arctic shipping lane, MSC said it will instead focus on improving environmental performance on existing trade routes.
The company added that a surge in container shipping traffic in the Arctic could damage air quality and endanger the biodiversity of untouched marine habitats. The decision to avoid the NSR is also in line with the shipping line’s wider approach to sustainability, said MSC.
MSC recently completed a programme to retrofit more than 250 ships in its existing fleet with the latest green technologies, which the company claims will cut approximately 2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
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