Malte Humpert

Malte Humpert is an investigative journalist for gCaptain and High North News, and Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute, which he founded in 2011. Based in Tahoe City, California, his research focuses on Arctic geopolitics, Northern Sea Route shipping, and China's interests in the polar region. He was the first journalist to report on Maersk's historic 2018 container ship voyage through the Arctic. His analysis has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and The Economist. Malte holds a Master's degree in European Studies from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.


Thursday, May 23, 2024
Chinese container ship NewNew Polar Bear in a convoy on the Northern Sea Route during an eastbound voyage in October 2023. (Source: Rosatomflot)
Shipping

Climate Change and Red Sea Turmoil to Boost Arctic Shipping

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – The waters of Russia’s Northern Sea Route – a seasonal shortcut between Europe and Asia – look set to welcome

May 23, 2024
Total Views: 1674

Monday, May 20, 2024
Flying Fish 1, named Oakland at the time, outside Western Scheldt, Netherlands in February 2023. Photo courtesy of Peter Faas
Shipping

Arctic Shipping Route to See First-Ever Panamax Containership

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – Russia’s main Arctic shipping route is slated to see its first Panamax container vessel this year. The 4,890-TEU box

May 20, 2024
Total Views: 5035

Friday, May 10, 2024
Heavy lift vessel Wei Xiao Tian Shi. (Source: Jiangsu Fanzhou Shipping Company)
Shipping

Chinese Heavy Lift Vessel Carrying New Arctic LNG 2 Modules to Russia Despite Sanctions

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – Just days after the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned four heavy lift vessels for carrying LNG technology to

May 10, 2024
Total Views: 5885

Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Vice Admiral Paul Thomas during Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee Hearing: Building the Fleet: Assessing the Department of Homeland Security’s Role in the United States Coast Guard’s Acquisitions Process, May 7, 2024.
Defense

Coast Guard to Start Polar Cutter Construction Before Finalizing Design, Despite Recommendation

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – A congressional hearing about the state of the Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter program revealed ongoing design

May 8, 2024
Total Views: 7360

Friday, May 3, 2024
Artist rendering of the Polar Security Cutter. Credit: Bollinger Shipyards
Defense

U.S. Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter Program Faces Substantial Cost Overrun and Delay Until 2029

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – The U.S. Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter program intended to renew the service’s aging icebreaker fleet continues

May 3, 2024
Total Views: 1879

Thursday, May 2, 2024
Audax carrying a module for Arctic LNG 2 across the Arctic. (Source: Red Box Energy Services)
Shipping

U.S. Targets Russia’s Arctic Shipping Capacity in Latest Round of Sanctions

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – In an effort to further disrupt Russia’s ability to develop Arctic gas and oil projects the U.S. State Department

May 2, 2024
Total Views: 1107

Monday, April 15, 2024
Ice-resistant self-propelled platform Severniy Polus. (Source: Roshydromet)
Shipping

Russian Survey Platform Drifts Into Norwegian Territorial Waters

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – A Russian ice-resistant survey platform has drifted with pack ice into Norwegian territorial waters to the north of the

April 15, 2024
Total Views: 3641

Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Hunter Star arriving at the Belokamenka shipyard with module TMS-005 on 31 March 2024. (Source: Belokamenka Yard)
Shipping

Heavy-Lift Vessel Delivers Sanctioned LNG Technology to Russian Arctic

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – Following a nearly three-month voyage Chinese heavy lift vessel Hunter Star delivered the final liquefaction module for

April 2, 2024
Total Views: 3861

Thursday, March 28, 2024
Viking Sky in distress
Accidents

Norway Releases Report on ‘Viking Sky’ Propulsion Loss and Near-Grounding

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) released its report on the loss of propulsion and near-grounding of

March 28, 2024
Total Views: 5159

Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Artist rendering of the Polar Security Cutter. Credit: Bollinger Shipyards
Defense

Coast Guard Reports Limited Progress on Prototype Modules for Polar Security Cutter

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – Just days after securing funding in the FY 2025 budget to acquire a commercial icebreaker, the U.S. Coast Guard says it has

March 27, 2024
Total Views: 3353

Tuesday, March 5, 2024
The icebreaker Aiviq completing refuelling operations at Davis Research Station. Photo: Kirk Yatras via Australian Antarctic Division
Shipping

U.S. Coast Guard Looking to Acquire Commercial Icebreaker ‘Aiviq’

U.S. Coast Guard notice reveals the service is seeking to acquire the icebreaker Aiviq from a unit of Edison Chouest Offshore to help plug icebreaking

March 5, 2024
Total Views: 12956

Monday, February 26, 2024
Christophe de margerie
Shipping

US Sanctions Block LNG Carriers for Russian Arctic Project 

A new round of U.S. sanctions is targeting shipowning entities of LNG carriers under construction at South Korean shipyard Hanwha Ocean. The ice-class Arc7

February 26, 2024
Total Views: 6133

Friday, February 16, 2024
Icebreaker escorting vessels along the Northern Sea Route. (Source: Sovcomflot)
Shipping

Russia Eases Icebreaker Escort Rules to Promote Year-Round Arctic Shipping

In an effort to pave the way for year-round transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the Northern Sea Route, the Russian government eased the requirements

February 16, 2024
Total Views: 2162

Friday, February 9, 2024
Christophe de margerie
Shipping

Hanwha Ocean Gas Carrier for Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Transferred to UAE Entity, Records Show

Russian natural gas company Novatek takes a key step toward beginning shipments from its Arctic LNG 2 project.  Ship registry records suggest that

February 9, 2024
Total Views: 4338

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
China’s NewNew Polar Bear in a convoy in the Russian Arctic in October 2023. (Source: Atomflot)
Shipping

New Report Sheds Light on Rapid Expansion of Arctic Shipping

A new 10-year report by the Arctic Council’s Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) highlights a substantial increase in

February 7, 2024
Total Views: 7115

Monday, February 5, 2024
Heavy lift carrier Audax in the Arctic carrying a module for Arctic LNG 2 in February 2022. (Source: Courtesy of Red Box)
Shipping

Nuclear Icebreakers Escort Russian LNG Modules Through Thick Arctic Ice

A convoy of two nuclear icebreakers and two polar-class heavy lift vessels is making slow but steady progress through Russia’s Arctic waters carrying the

February 5, 2024
Total Views: 9021