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Environmental Impact

The Transpolar Sea route creates many concerns to whether or not an increase in economic activity could affect the fragile arctic ecosystem.  There are various aspects have a potential to affect the Arctic ecosystem. Increases in overall activity, mostly in oil tankers, have the potential to create oil spills. Thick ice which creates greater costs and limitations to traveling through the Transpolar Sea route with large ships has prevented the risk for oil spills as of 2017. The discharge of sewage, grey water, and ballast water from any size of vessels has also created concerns.  Sewage and grey water could introduce different bacteria into the relatively isolated Arctic ecosystem. Ballast waters being discharged from vessels traveling through the region could also harm the ecosystem. This is an an issue as ballast water that could have been taken in from one of part of the world with an invasive species could discharge any number of organisms in the Arctic waters if not treated correctly. Vessels themselves also create pollution through exhaust gas which could affect the region. The primary exhaust gas that is created is NO_x gas which results from the combustion of Diesel, in a Diesel powered vessel. Noise pollution is also created from the activity of vessels in the region. Noise pollution is created by the vessels as loud machinery, primarily propellers, create noises which have the potential to affect organisms that depend on communication through sound waves. Due to the effect that noise pollution has on the communication of some organisms, Marine organisms can strike ships injuring and possibly killing certain species.

Economics

As of 2017, the Transpolar sea route continues to be uneconomic for the transport of goods. The reason for this is the thick multi-year ice that is present in the center of Arctic where the transpolar sea route passes through. The thick multi-year ice requires the use of expensive Ice breaker escorts, which directly affect the cost savings of the shorter route. In addition to the need for Icebreakers, the route because even more difficult to travel through in the winter months when the ice is the thickest. The increased cost , as a result of icebreaker escorts, has made the Transpolar Sea Route the least traveled of all of the Arctic Sea Routes. Ocean conservancy expects that the route will only increase in use as the effects of climate change continue. Activity in the region is mostly halted through the winter months, picking back up when the ice becomes less dense and easier to navigate through. Due to the Transpolar Sea Route being in the center of the Arctic the route generally only sees traffic from cargo carrying vessels and vessels  with unspecified activity. The arctic also provides access to natural resources that have yet to be explored. A 2008 survey predicted that the Arctic contains the largest deposits of oil and gas in the world with a majority of it being found off-shore. This has increased the activity in the region as the surrounding territories held by Russia, the United States, Canada, and Denmark have seen the prospect for natural resources on within their their own territories bordering the Arctic. The regions surrounding the Arctic also have prospects for different operations such as mining and cruising which exist on the coastal passages through the Arctic.

Geopolitics

The Transpolar sea route is the only Arctic sea route that avoids any territorial waters making it an area of interest for the countries that surround the Arctic. The primary countries that are exerting their presence on the neutral Arctic region are the United States and Russia. A major attraction to the Transpolar Sea route is that it governed by any country. The Northwestern Sea route is primarily used by NATO countries while the North Eastern sea route is a primarily used by Russia to transport resources from its most northern regions. Other countries also have stakes for the control of the Arctic in order to secure trade, security, and resources. Some of these countries Sweden, Denmark, and Canada. The Arctic region is also a host to military exercises coming primarily from Russia. The Transpolar sea route has been affected by this as most of the traffic going through the Transpolar Sea route, as of 2017, is through military operations . As the route continues to grow as a result of climate change experts predict that there will be greater attempts at control of the route.