OMG… Greenland’s ice sheets are melting fast

[Benny]

But, for some reason he omits to mention that, while the passage is today described as 'fully navigable' in 1969 it was only traversible using the Manhattan - the biggest icebreaker in the world, an

Me thunk the Manhattan was built as a bog standard oil tanker - but did have an icebreaker
bow fitted for the voyage.
Dedicated icebreakers in addition to the strengthened bow also have a specialist hull design which the Manhattan did not (to move the broken ice away from vulnerable propellers / rudders etc. )and lots of welly in the engines
There are modern "double acting tankers" available since the 1990's which use a stern first approach to ice breaking (yes really!) and forward pointing for open water
HTH

[pjclarke]

Me thunk the Manhattan was built as a bog standard oil tanker - but did have an icebreaker
bow fitted for the voyage.
Dedicated icebreakers in addition to the strengthened bow also have a specialist hull design which the Manhattan did not (to move the broken ice away from vulnerable propellers / rudders etc. )and lots of welly in the engines
There are modern "double acting tankers" available since the 1990's which use a stern first approach to ice breaking (yes really!) and forward pointing for open water
HTH

Thanks, you're right.

Manhattan* 's route began in August 1969 on the east coast of North America and transited the passage from east to west via the Baffin Sea and Viscount Melville Sound. The master of Manhattan was Captain Roger A. Steward. Heavy sea ice blocked the way through M'Clure Strait, so a more southerly route through Prince of Wales Strait and south of Banks Island was used. A single, token barrel of crude oil was loaded at Prudhoe Bay and then the ship went back. She was escorted by the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS John A. Macdonald. At various times during the expedition, Manhattan was supported by the icebreakers CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, USCGC Staten Island, and USCGC Northwind.

Page is still a , tho'