Shanghai: Chinese icebreaker Xuelong celebrated the return to its Shanghai base on Thursday having completed a landmark roundtrip between the Pacific and the Atlantic via the Arctic, becoming the first Chinese expedition to complete such a voyage. The three-month trip has once again spurred talk of opening the Northern Sea Route for trade between Asia and Europe, a link that is approximately one third shorter than the current traditional tradelane between the two continents. [28/09/12]
