DJ Ship

DJ Ship Travels Arctic From China to EuropeChina's Yong Sheng is an unremarkable ship that is about tomake history. It is the first c ontainer-transporting vessel to sailto Europe from China through the arctic rather than ta king theusual southerly route through the Suez Canal, shaving twoweeks off the regular t ravel time in the process.中国商船永盛(Yong Sheng)轮是一条不起眼的船，但即将创造历史。

集装箱运输船永盛轮将首次尝试经由北极航道从中国到达欧洲，较传统的通过苏伊士运河(Suez Canal)的南方航道要减少2周的航程。

The 19,000-ton Yong Sheng, operated by China's state-controlled Cosco Group, left the p ort ofDalian Aug.8 and is scheduled to reach Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, via the Bering Strait Sept. 11. The travel time of about 35 days compares with the average of 48 days it would nor mally taketo journey through the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea.永盛轮隶属中国国有企业中远集团(Cosco Group)，载重量为19,000吨，该船于8月8日驶离大连港，将穿过白令海峡(Bering Strait)，预计在9月11日抵达目的港荷兰鹿特丹(Rotterdam)。

此次航程约35天，而经由苏伊士运河和地中海(Mediterranean Sea)的传统航程平均为48天。

Chinese state media have described the approximately 3,400-mile Northern Sea Route, o r NSR, asthe 'most economical solution' for China-Europe shipping. Cosco has said that A sian goods couldbe transported through the northern passage in significant volumes.中国官方媒体把这条近3,400英里的北极航道(Northern Sea Route)称为中国至欧洲的最经济航线。

中远集团曾表示，大量亚洲商品可以通过北极航道运送。

The NSR, at roughly 8,100 nautical miles, is about 2,400 nautical miles shorter than th e SuezCanal for ships traveling the benchmark Shanghai-to-Rotterdam journey, accordin g to the NSRInformation Office.北极航道信息办公室(NSR Information Office)的数据显示，上海到鹿特丹的航线，通过北极航道的距离约8,100海里，比通过苏伊士运河的距离短2,400海里左右。

'The arctic route can cut 12 to 15 days from traditional routes, so the maritime industry c alls it theGolden Waterway,' Cosco said when the Yong Sheng's voyage was announced e arlier this year.中远集团在今年初公布永盛轮航行消息时曾表示，北极航道较传统航线的航程要减少12-15天，所以航海界也称之为“黄金水道”。

The Yong Sheng's travel comes as shipping volumes on the arctic route are rising fast a midwarmer weather, which has kept the passage relatively free of ice for longer than in r ecentdecades.永盛轮首航正值北极航道航运量快速上升之际，因为气候变暖，该航道上的冰大量融化，通航时间较近几十年延长。

The Russian-run NSR Administration has so far issued 393 permits this summer to use th e watersabove Siberia, compared with 46 last year and a mere four in 2010. The travel w indow usuallyopens in July and closes in late November when the ice concentration beco mes prohibitive forsailing.俄罗斯管理的北极航道管理局(NSR Administration)今年夏天已经签发了393份使用西伯利亚(Siberia)上方水域的许可证，去年为46份，2010年只有4份。

通航窗口通常在7月份开启，在11月底海水覆冰无法航行时关闭。

'Our best months are September and October, where there is barely any ice across the w holeroute,' said Sergey Balmasov, head of the NSR Information Office.北极航道管理局负责人Sergey Balmasov称，最佳航行月份是9月和10月，此时整条航道中几乎没有冰。

'We expect a substantial increase in permit applications if temperatures continue to rise i n comingyears,' he added.'But climate change could work both ways, so if temperatures come down theroute will b ecome impenetrable without ice-breaking escort ships.'他补充说，如果未来几年气温继续上升，则申请许可证数量将大幅增长。

但他表示，气候变化是双向的，如果气温下降，在没有破冰护卫船的情况下，这条航道将变得无法通行。

Mr. Balmasov said even ships without ice-breaking capabilities received permits as the w eatherbecame warmer.'This cuts the cost of operators as the seaway is free of ice and the voyage timesignifican tly lower,' he said.他表示，由于气候变暖，即使没有破冰能力的船只也获得了许可证，因为航道没有冰，运营商的成本大幅降低，航程大为缩短。

Arctic ice covered 860,000 square miles last year, off 53% from 1.8 million square miles i n 1979,according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center of the U.S.根据美国国家冰雪数据中心(National Snow and Ice Data Center)，去年北极冰覆盖面积为860,000平方英里，较1979年的180万平方英里减少了53%。

The rate of change has astounded the scientific community, said Mark Serreze, director o f theColorado-based center, which is funded through grants from groups including the N ationalAeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation and the N ational Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration.该中心的主管Mark Serreze称，这一变化速度令科学界感到震惊。

该中心位于科罗拉多州，资金来自美国国家航空及太空总署(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)、美国国家科学基金会(National Science Foundation)和美国国家海洋与大气管理局(National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration)等组织的拨款。

'It's warming very quickly in the arctic and I would not be surprised if we see summers w ith no iceat all over the next 20 years. That's why shipping companies are so excited over the prospects ofthe route,' Mr. Serreze said.Serreze称，北极变暖得非常快，如果未来20年北极夏季再也看不到冰面也不会令他感到惊讶；因此，船运公司对于这一路线的前景感到非常兴奋。