As the Arctic thaws, a new shipping passage offers an alternative to the war torn Bab al Mandab strait and Red Sea.
Still only available for a brief window in summer, but as ice thaws, and infrastructure builds to support more shipping, it can only get busier.
The Bering Strait becomes the new choke point.
Hard to block that. Anyone the US doesn’t want passing through, Russia will, and vice versa.
I’m more concerned that the airborne crud from bunker fuel will speed melting of the ice and keep it from refreezing longer and longer every year.
The CGTN reporter mentioned the Houthis attacking ships in 2023, but back then Chinese BYD ships were allowed to pass unmolested.