Transportation - note In 30 editions of 36.

• the new airport on Saint Helena opened for limited operations in July 2016, and the first commercial flight took place on 14 October 2017, marking the start of weekly air service between Saint Helena and South Africa via Namibia;
• the military airport on Ascension Island is closed to civilian traffic;
• there is no air connection to Tristan da Cunha and very limited sea connections making it one of the most isolated communities on the planet

South Africa operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

• US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E) and Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W);
• government use only;
• all ships are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty;
• relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the Antarctic Treaty regulating the Antarctic Treaty area have to be complied with (see "Legal System");
• The Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica (HCA), a commission of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area;
• it coordinates and facilitates provision of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region;
• membership of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area

note 1: seven of the world’s ten largest container ports are in China

note 2: China operates one PC 3 or 4 class medium ice breaker and three PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakers

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Japan operates one PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreaker

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm)

South Korea operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

• Russia operates the largest polar class icebreaker fleet in the World with 52 vessels, including the World's only seven nuclear powered heavy icebreakers;
• the primary missions of Russia's fleet includes keeping open the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the Arctic Ocean (see Arctic Ocean map) along with Russia's Arctic ports and terminals, maintaining shipping lanes in the Baltic Sea, and supporting ports, terminals, and shipping in the Russian Far East including the Sea of Okhotsk;
• Russia operates seven PC 1 or 2 heavy icebreakers, 31 PC 3 or 4 medium icebreakers, and 14 PC 5 or 6 light icebreakers

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 1 - year-round operation in all polar waters (ice thickness >3 m);
• PC 2 - year-round operation in moderate multi-year ice conditions (ice thickness up to 3 m);
• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten

nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located on Sint Maarten

Denmark operates icebreakers in the Baltic Sea and Danish Straits; currently operating three PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakers

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Estonia operates two PC 5 or 6 class icebreakers in the Baltic Sea

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Finland operates icebreakers in the Baltic Sea including seven PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreakers and two PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakers

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

note 1: begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover that runs from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France; it is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

note 2: France operates two icebreakers, one PC 3 or 4 class icebreaker based in French Polynesia for operations in Antarctica and one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker based in the North Atlantic

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Germany operates one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker based in the North Atlantic

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Italy operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker, it is based in the Mediterranean

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Latvia operates one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker in the Baltic Sea

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Norway operates one PC 3 or 4 class icebreaker and one PC 5 or 6 class icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Sweden operates four PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreakers in the Baltic Sea

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm)

note 1: begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover that runs from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France; it is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

note 2: the UK operates one PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreaker in the South Atlantic in support of operations in Antarctica

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm)

Canada operates a fleet of 12 icebreakers including two PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreakers and ten PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakers

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

• the US operates one PC 1 or 2 class heavy icebreaker, two PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreakers, and two PC 5 or 6 class light icebreakers;
• the heavy and medium icebreakers carry out various polar missions including opening passage for the annual resupply of McMurdo Station in Antarctica

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 1 - year-round operation in all polar waters (ice thickness >3 m);
• PC 2 - year-round operation in moderate multi-year ice conditions (ice thickness up to 3 m);
• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm);
• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Australia operates one PC 3 or 4 class medium icebreaker based in Tasmania in support of operations in Antarctica

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 3 - year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 2.5 m);
• PC 4 - year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 120 cm)

there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency landing is available

Argentina operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

Chile operates one PC 5 or 6 class light icebreaker for operations in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean

note - PC indicates a Polar Class vessel:

• PC 5 - year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 70-120 cm);
• PC 6 - summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which may include old ice inclusions (ice thickness up to 30-70 cm)

sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

• Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways;
• significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal