Chinese Ship's Historic Route Marks Sign of Warming Times

A 19,000-tonne Chinese cargo ship has become the country’s first to use the Northeast Passage to travel to Europe. 

The vessel, owned by shipping giant Cosco, left the Chinese port city of Dalian on Thursday making its way to Rotterdam on a route now navigable for several months of the year due to global warming.

Reuters reported that the route that connects east Asia to Europe, also known as the Northern Sea Route, “is opening for longer and longer each year.”