Increased melting of Arctic ice since 2007 enables ships to travel the Northwest Passage for some weeks in summertime, avoiding the longer routes via the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal.
从2007年开始，北极冰川不断融化，使得去往西北航道的船只在夏季的一段时间里，可以绕开苏伊士运河或巴拿马运河的较长路线。