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.


Monday, September 8, 2025
Newest U.S. Icebreaker ‘Storis’ Conducts Extensive Patrol Along Russian Maritime Boundary in Arctic
Defense

Newest U.S. Icebreaker ‘Storis’ Conducts Extensive Patrol Along Russian Maritime Boundary in Arctic

The newest U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker, Storis, continues a sweeping Arctic patrol along Russia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Along the way it also monitored

September 8, 2025
Total Views: 2947

Sunday, September 7, 2025
Commercial Freighter Runs Aground in Arctic En Route From China
Grounding Incidents

Commercial Freighter Runs Aground in Arctic En Route From China

A 173-meter long Dutch-flagged freighter, Thamesborg, has run aground in the Canadian Arctic en route from Lianyungang, China to Baie Comeau,

September 7, 2025
Total Views: 11430

Thursday, September 4, 2025
Flying Fish 1 loaded
Shipping

Chinese Panamax Containership Crosses Arctic in Just Six Days on Emerging Europe-Asia Shortcut

A Chinese-operated Panamax container ship steamed across Russia’s Northern Sea Route in just 6 days underscoring the emergence of a faster Europe-Asia

September 4, 2025
Total Views: 3883

Tuesday, September 2, 2025
U.S. Navy Destroyers Patrol Arctic Waters In Barents Sea Near Russian Maritime Border
Defense

U.S. Navy Destroyers Patrol Arctic Waters In Barents Sea Near Russian Maritime Border

U.S. naval forces continue to step up their engagement in the Arctic. While the Coast Guard now has two icebreakers operating in the Bering Sea simultaneously

September 2, 2025
Total Views: 3106

Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ LNG Carrier Without Ice-Class Stops, Reverses on Northern Sea Route Near Ice-Edge
Energy

Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ LNG Carrier Without Ice-Class Stops, Reverses on Northern Sea Route Near Ice-Edge

A Russian liquefied natural gas carrier without ice protection has reversed course and remains stopped near the edge of the sea ice on the Northern Sea Route.

September 2, 2025
Total Views: 59254

Thursday, August 28, 2025
Aerial of Liquified Natural Gas LNG carrier moored to a small gas terminal
Energy

Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Delivers First Cargo to China After Year-Long Wait, Signaling Possible Shift in Beijing’s Sanctions Stance

A gas carrier in service of Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project has docked at a Chinese terminal for the first time, ending more than a year of

August 28, 2025
Total Views: 7301

Monday, August 25, 2025
.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Caitlin Clemons, Executive Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750), looks through a set of binoculars at Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) in the Pacific Ocean
Defense

US Coast Guard Operates Two Polar Icebreakers in Arctic Simultaneously For First Time in More Than a Decade

U.S. polar icebreakers Healy and recently acquired Storis are currently operating to the north of the Aleutian Island chain in the American Arctic. This marks

August 25, 2025
Total Views: 5050

Monday, August 18, 2025
US Coast Guard Sends C-130J on Extensive Arctic Patrol to Monitor Five Chinese Research Vessels Off Alaska
Defense

US Coast Guard Sends C-130J on Extensive Arctic Patrol to Monitor Five Chinese Research Vessels Off Alaska

The U.S. continues to monitor extensive Chinese activity in the Arctic waters off the coast of Alaska just outside the Exclusive Economic Zone. Coast Guard

August 18, 2025
Total Views: 6786

From Alaska With Love: Russia’s Shadow LNG Fleet Set Sail for China As Trump-Putin Summit Unfolded
Energy

From Alaska With Love: Russia’s Shadow LNG Fleet Set Sail for China As Trump-Putin Summit Unfolded

Five sanctioned LNG carriers, part of Russia’s shadow fleet, got underway as the Trump-Putin meeting took place in Alaska, or changed course in the hours

August 18, 2025
Total Views: 1363

Monday, August 11, 2025
US Coast Guard Commissions CGC ‘Storis’, Icebreaker to Depart on Arctic Patrol ‘Immediately’
Defense

US Coast Guard Commissions CGC ‘Storis’, Icebreaker to Depart on Arctic Patrol ‘Immediately’

Less than eight months after acquiring the icebreaking anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) Aiviq from an Edison Chouest Offshore subsidiary for $125m the

August 11, 2025
Total Views: 2612

Sanctioned Suezmax Oil Tanker Navigates Russian Arctic Without Permit, Unknown Insurance, and Overdue for Inspection
Shipping

Sanctioned Suezmax Oil Tanker Navigates Russian Arctic Without Permit, Unknown Insurance, and Overdue for Inspection

Russia continues to push the safety envelope for oil shipments via the Arctic. A 19-year old sanctioned Suezmax tanker, Latur, loaded with Russian crude oil

August 11, 2025
Total Views: 25807

Thursday, August 7, 2025
China Deploys Five Icebreakers Near Alaska in Unprecedented Arctic Move
Defense

China Deploys Five Icebreakers Near Alaska in Unprecedented Arctic Move

In a significant show of Arctic prowess, China has dispatched five icebreaking research vessels to the region. This is the first time the country has operated

August 7, 2025
Total Views: 6939

Monday, August 4, 2025
Chinese container ship NewNew Polar Bear in a convoy on the Northern Sea Route during an eastbound voyage in October 2023. (Source: Rosatomflot)
Shipping

Chinese Companies Dispatch Multiple Container Ships Along Arctic Route For Faster Europe Trade

With summer navigation season in the Arctic ramping up, several Chinese companies have dispatched container ships through the Arctic aiming to take advantage

August 4, 2025
Total Views: 17894

Monday, July 28, 2025
Finnish Border Guard's photo of a Hong Kong registered cargo ship 'Newnew Polar Bear', which was spotted moving close to the Balticconnector gas line, during the joint press conference of the investigation of the possible attack on the Balticconnector gas line on 8th Oct., 2023 between Finland and Estonia at the headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation in Vantaa, Finland, 24 October 2023. Lehtikuva/HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA via REUTERS
Incidents

‘Newnew Polar Bear’ Containership Set to Return to Europe via Arctic After 2023 Balticconnector Incident

Two years after damaging the Balticconnector pipeline and communication cables in the Gulf of Finland, Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear has set sail

July 28, 2025
Total Views: 1251

U.S. Coast Guard Responds to Chinese Icebreaker ‘Xue Long 2’ on American Continental Shelf off Alaska
Defense

U.S. Coast Guard Responds to Chinese Icebreaker ‘Xue Long 2’ on American Continental Shelf off Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard has responded to Chinese activity on the extended U.S. Continental Shelf (ECS) approximately 290 nautical miles north of Utqiagvik,

July 28, 2025
Total Views: 23720

Wednesday, July 23, 2025
EU Shipyards Continue to Service Vessels Carrying Russian LNG
Energy

EU Shipyards Continue to Service Vessels Carrying Russian LNG

European shipyards continue to play a fundamental role in keeping Russia’s fleet of liquefied natural gas carriers in service. As summer maintenance season

July 23, 2025
Total Views: 1694

Tuesday, July 22, 2025
FILE PHOTO: People attend the launch ceremony of China's first domestically built polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, at a shipyard in Shanghai, China September 10, 2018. Picture taken September 10, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer
Defense

Chinese Icebreaker ‘Xue Long 2’ Operating North of Alaska, Two More En Route to Arctic

China’s first home-built polar icebreaker Xue Long 2 has arrived in the Arctic for its summer 2025 research mission. The vessel departed from Shanghai around

July 22, 2025
Total Views: 4399

Monday, July 21, 2025
A ‘North’-series Arc4 LNG carrier in Rotterdam, Netherlands in November 2023
Energy

EU Delists Three Sanctioned MOL LNG Carriers After Assurances Vessels Will Not Carry Russian Arctic Gas

In what appears to be a first, the European Union has delisted three previously sanctioned Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) LNG carriers. The move comes as part of

July 21, 2025
Total Views: 1996

Thursday, July 17, 2025
lng ship bunkering in fog
Energy

Second Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker Docks at Sanctioned Arctic LNG Project As Moscow Struggles to Find Buyers

A year after Russia’s flagship liquefied natural gas project, Arctic LNG 2, loaded its first cargo, buyers remain elusive. Despite the ongoing difficulties

July 17, 2025
Total Views: 1424

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
A linehandler aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21) prepares to moor at Coast Guard Base Seattle, July 11, 2025, ahead of its inaugural Arctic deployment.
Defense

U.S. Coast Guard’s Newest Icebreaker ‘Storis’ Arrives in Seattle, Prepares for First Arctic Patrol

The U.S.’ newly acquired icebreaker Storis (formerly Aiviq) arrived in Seattle following a six-week voyage from Bollinger Shipyards in Mississippi. “In a

July 16, 2025
Total Views: 5999