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Russia Beating U.S. to Arctic
Russia is winning in the Arctic race and the U.S. administration should correct its approach to the development of the Arctic immediately, a U.S. House of Representatives committee was told yesterday as it discussed the country’s icebreaking fleet. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen told the lawmakers that Russia will have several heavy atomic icebreakers of the new generation in service by 2020. Furthermore, Russia launched its largest icebreaker, 50 Years of Victory, last year, after ten years of preparation, and now has access to the Arctic region’s resources.
Germany, China, Sweden and Canada are also getting in on the race, Allen noted. He said that funding for new icebreakers was essential, since the U.S.’ existing ships, the Polar Star and Polar Sea, are near the end of their service life. Meanwhile U.S. interests in the Arctic are growing. As ice melts in the Arctic region, new possibilities arise for producing oil and natural gas on the Arctic continental shelf and new shipping routes for oil and other goods will be opened, Allen noted. Delivering oil to Japan by an Arctic route would save up to $2 million per tanker.
The admiral told the lawmakers that the White House is working on a new national policy on the Arctic under the leadership of the National Security Council and the policy will be completed “very soon.” Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff will tour the Arctic region soon, accompanied by Allen.
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