Hong Kong-flagged Nordic Barents carrying 40,000 tonnes of iron ore leaves Kirkenes in northern Norway en route to China via the Arctic Northeast passage on Saturday. The new route mirrors the Northwest passage along Canada's coastline, avoiding a massive detour through the Panama Canal and significantly slashing the distance between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

AFP Photo by Helge Sterk, Scanpix Norway

(HK Edition 09/07/2010 page3)