Arctic Shipping a Daunting Prospect in Hotly Contested Region

With Middle East turmoil slashing Suez Canal traffic, shipping firms are tempted to try the Arctic for quicker trips between Europe and Asia -- but commercial prospects are unlikely to match countries' strategic ambitions for the North Pole. Container ships from China and South Korea aim to transit the Northern Sea Route in Russian territorial waters in the coming weeks, testing its viability as climate change keeps the passage free of ice longer each year.