Newsademic British English edition 260

part o f the world have been rising. 
Therefore, in future, the NSR may 
be open for a longer period. When 
ships do use the NSR, Russian ice­
breakers often accompany them. 
These vessels are designed to clear, 
or break, a path through thick sea 
ice. Container ships following be­
hind can then use these paths.
Ships sailing from China to north­
ern Europe, via the Suez Canal, pass 
through the Strait o f Malacca. They 
then travel across the Indian Ocean 
and into the Red Sea. After using 
the Suez Canal, the ships sail the 
length o f the Mediterranean Sea and 
around Spain and France. This route
is open throughout the year. Yet, as 
the Suez Canal is very busy, ships 
may need to wait for several days 
before they can enter the waterway.
The business school’s study was 
done to help ship owners. When 
building new ships, they have to de­
cide on the right design. Ships using 
the NSR need to be made stronger, 
or ice-reinforced. Open-water ships 
are less expensive to make. The 
business school created a computer 
model. It includes many different 
variables, or things that can change. 
Some o f these variables are: the 
cost o f building the ship, the price 
o f oil, distance, average speed, ca­
nal charges, crew costs, icebreaker 
charges, repairs, and insurance.
Container ship using the NSR (The Arctic Institute)
Currently, the price o f oil is very 
low. The business school’s model 
shows that using the SCR is less 
expensive. However, this could 
change if the price o f oil becomes 
more expensive and the NSR is ice- 
free for a longer time each year. □
V
e llu m
 
d e c is io n
The House o f Lords is part o f the 
U K ’s parliament. On 9th February it 
announced that all new acts (or laws 
or legislation) would now be printed 
on a special type o f paper. Tradition­
ally, acts passed by the parliament 
are printed on parchment, or vellum.
Parchment was first used as a 
type o f paper thousands o f years 
ago. It is made from animal skin.

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