Brands pledge to not ship goods via Arctic

WASHINGTON – Leading global apparel brands including Nike, Bestseller, Columbia, Gap Inc., H&M Group and PVH Corp have signed a new pledge not to ship their products on vessels through the Arctic Ocean shipping routes. The move is in response to claims that such routes pose risk and potentially devastating environmental impacts. Arctic routes are becoming increasingly accessible as Arctic ice continues to diminish, likely because of climate change. This, in turn, is opening the possibility of cargo traffic through ocean routes that were previously unnavigable, with reduced shipping times and potentially significant transportation savings.