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Paul Thompson 2/8/15

As the Winter Bay slipped out of Tromso this afternoon heading north there was confusion about whether the Russian Government was allowing passage of the vessel with its 1700 tonnes of endangered Fin whale meat through Russian waters to Japan. Clarification has now ben provided and its confirmed that a Russian Permit has been granted allowing passage through the waters of the Northen Sea Route from West to East and return East to West. This in effect establishes a “safe” trade route of whale products from the North Atlantic whaling nations of Iceland and Noway through to Japan and is a dark day for Fin and Minke whales in the northern hemisphere.

Ice conditions from the latest satellite data would indicate that conditions may be suitable for the vessel to pass despite the fact it is only single hulled and contact with ice could have serious consequences for the structural integrity of the vessel

http://www.paulthompson.info/blog/2015/8/russian-permits-the-icelandic-bay-to-travel-through-the-northern-sea-route-to-japan