COMMENT: Automakers watch on as Affordable Clean Energy takes on the ICE breakers

August is traditionally a slow news month. Much of Europe heads on vacation, and the mainstream media finds itself low on content.

This may be at least one reason why the Financial Times gives prominent billing to the news that Danish ship operator Maersk Line – the world’s largest container operator – has decided to trial an alternative to the traditional Asia-Europe shipping route through the Suez Canal and Mediterranean, by sending a container vessel via an Arctic route to the North of Russia. Thus, the 3,600-unit container ship Venta Maersk will depart from Vladivostok and will anchor in St Petersburg sometime towards the end of September.