The number of commercial transit voyages through Russia’s Northern Sea Route (NSR) had already surpassed the full-year 2025 total by the end of September, putting Arctic shipping on course for another record season as cargo volumes rise and more vessels test the route between Asia and Europe.

The Royal Navy’s only dedicated ice patrol ship has been towed from Teesside to Devonport following a reported defect, raising questions about Britain’s ability to maintain its maritime presence in the polar regions as the government works toward a replacement.

The number of shadow-fleet vessels carrying Russian oil and LNG through the Northern Sea Route has surged this summer, according to a new analysis by the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center, raising concerns about the ability to respond to accidents in one of the world's most remote shipping environments.