Northern Sea Route

Due to climate change, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is now largely ice free for a limited time each year.
This has allowed ships using the NSR to make substantial savings in distance/fuel for voyages between North European and Asian ports, compared to the route via Suez.
The Northern Sea Route Administration website contains a great deal of information of use to the shipowner/operator and mariner on the operation of ships using this route.

December 2017 The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) issued an information paper, Northern Sea Route Navigation - Best practices and challenges (First edition 2017), highlighting the challenges and best practices that ship managers and operators should consider when planning and executing a transit of the NSR. It supplements information from existing souirces

July 2017 Russia to create Northern Sea Route agency - see Russian website The Arctic which also contains useful information on the region
 

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued status and guidance  on navigating the NSR which can be downloaded HERE