Suez, Africa, NSR: the benefits are obvious
Data from analysts of Kpler and Marine Traffic Systems indicate that this spring, tankers with LNG from Leningrad Oblast to China began its trip along the west coast of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, avoiding the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The route has become one andContinue Reading
Norway bolsters patrol in Arctic waters with new Coast Guard ships
A third vessel of the Jan Mayen class is taken over by the Norwegian Coast Guard. “It is a milestone for our ocean nation,” Navy Chief Oliver Berdal says. The 136,4 meter long KV Hopen is the third vessel of the new class of Norwegian Coast Guard ships. It hasContinue Reading
Russia expands nuclear weapons drills to Nordic, Baltic borders
The exercises took place in areas bordering Nato member states, including Finland, Norway, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, news agency Reuters reports. Russia announced on Wednesday that soldiers and sailors from its northern Leningrad Military District participated in drills to deploy tactical nuclear weapons, according to news agency Reuters. TheContinue Reading
Norway’s Government Embroiled in Clash Over CEO Salaries
Norway’s government held onto its stance on limiting executive pay in state-owned companies after some key firms refused caps. The effort is intended to minimize the growing income gap in the traditionally egalitarian nation, as outlined in a report on state ownership that was presented in Oslo Tuesday. At theContinue Reading
Joly crafting ‘Arctic foreign policy’ amid regional tensions, not a full strategy
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Mélanie Joly is readying an “Arctic foreign policy” aimed at preparing for a more tense time in international relations. Joly tells Bloomberg News that this will involve working closely with NATO peers, including Finland and Sweden, who recently joined the military alliance. Her officeContinue Reading
Leaders offer greetings to Denmark on Constitution Day
President To Lam on June 5 sent greetings to King Frederik X of Denmark on the occasion of Denmark’s Constitution Day (June 5) Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also extended congratulations to his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen, and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man sent a congratulatory message to SpeakerContinue Reading
Ombudsman says racism becoming established in Finnish politics
The ombudsman says that there were both positive and negative developments last year. Racism and hate speech threaten to become normalised in politics, according to Non-Discrimination Ombudsman Kristina Stenman in her annual report. Harsher rhetoric in politics has an impact on society as a whole, according to Stenman, after aContinue Reading
First Non-Ice Class Container Ship Receives Arctic Permit
The combination of seasonally ice-free waters and turmoil along traditional trade routes is diverting vessels into the Arctic. The first non-ice class Panamax containership has now received a permit for the Northern Sea Route. In what constitutes a first for Arctic shipping, a large conventional container ship has received aContinue Reading
Centre Party of Finland calls for government confidence vote over EU joint debt
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has indicated that Finland would be willing to take on more EU joint debt if no other means of supporting Ukraine can be found. The opposition Centre Party has submitted an interpellation question to parliament over the government’s willingness to take on more European UnionContinue Reading
Norway Gas Scare Puts European Market on Edge
Prices jumped Monday as jittery traders responded to an unexpected cutoff in supply. Europe’s gas market has been jolted out of its slumber. An outage in key supplier Norway sent prices up Monday by the most this year, and uncertainty over the duration of repairs has traders on edge. AContinue Reading