The Arctic Route is a maritime navigable way used by ships to pass through the Arctic. It serves as a link between Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. It is of great importance because it connects parts of Asia and North America that are otherwise inaccessible to land and air traffic. Although it is currently viewed as a seasonal route, this route may represent the future of maritime affairs, as it greatly shortens the route between places at the northernmost reaches of Asia and N. America. This may not seem important now, because the passage navigability depends on the ice conditions, but it is anticipated that further ice melting will allow the route to be constantly navigable. Since the most important thing in shipping is time, because time is money, then it is no wonder that the Arctic Route could become one of the busiest shipping routes in the world if the forecasts are to come. The higher the time savings, and the lower the costs, the more the profit is. A shorter journey means less time spent in navigation and consequently lower costs. This is a sufficient reason to pay attention to the Arctic Route.