Arctic shuttle container link from Alaska US to Europe

March 2006 

In May 2005, the Alaska State Legislature provided the City of Adak with an appropriation to investigate the concept of a trans-Arctic container shuttle.  With the guidance of the Institute of the North, Aker Arctic Technology in Finland was contracted to perform a prefeasibility study to examine and evaluate the technological and economical aspects of possibly establishing a container traffic link between the Aleutian Islands and Europe using the Northern Sea Route.

The study is done using the ice operation simulation program developed by the Aker Arctic Research Company (AARC).  For the study two Arctic container vessel preliminary designs were developed with adequate definition in order to estimate their performance in the Arctic ice conditions and costs based on capital investment and operational expenditures.

The preliminary findings of the research indicate "that the latest developments of icebreaking and ship technologies, double acting operation which improves greatly the icebreaking capability and reduces required power and cost, and could make the operation independent of icebreakers, have indeed brought the Trans-Arctic commercial cargo traffic well in a feasible situation compared to the prevalent tariffs on the 'southern route' which is today abt. 1500 $ / TEU, from Japan to Europe or vice versa."

Arctic shuttle container link from Alaska US to Europe

Prepared by Aker Arctic Tecnology Inc., Finland

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Viability of Sakhalin - Alaska - Alberta Commercial Aviation Links

December 2005 with June 2006 Addendum

While Anchorage is uniquely positioned to provide expanded air service to the Russian Far East from the U.S. and Canada, new East-West air routes will be dependent upon a combination of the willingness for passengers to pay slightly higher fares, the conversion of passenger air craft to carry more cargo, or other revenue generating alternatives, a study commissioned by the Institute of the North indicates.