Try to imagine a port city above the Arctic Circle. For some people, such is possible. For others, there is an err of distrust towards such an idea. Well, this is a possibility. In fact, this is the case.
Now try to imagine an Arctic port for which the waters off of the coast remain ice-free all year long, even on the coldest of winter nights. Some people will find this even more impossible. One often cannot imagine the Arctic without imagining the water freezing over.
Actually, this is already happening. And that city of Murmansk, Russia. Murmansk is a the largest port city north of the Arctic Circle, as well as being the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. It's location is in the Murmansk Oblast, 12 km from the Barents Sea, inside of a fjord.
And despite being so far north, it remains an ice free port. Murmansk is also the last city to be founded before the collapse of the Russian Empire. It was founded in 1916. It was World War One. Russia needed an ice-free location to have supplies shipped. A railroad was built up to the Murman Peninsula because it was an ice-free location. It's original name was Romanov on the Murman.
How is it that Murmansk, which is so far north, can remain ice free? Well, it has alot to do with ocean currents. It starts with the Gulf Stream. This warm ocean current flows north all the way to Norway and reaches Murmansk. This warm current keeps the waters at Murmansk ice free in the winter. The current works like a conveyor belt, carrying relatively warm water to an otherwise cold location.
Map explaining how Murmansk is ice free.
Murmansk is important because of its location along ice free waters. It is home to a large icebreaker fleet. There is a Russian Navy base in its satellite city, Severomorsk, and 41% of marine transportation comes from this region. This has made Murmansk an important Russian port.
http://englishrussia.com/2011/02/15/severe-arctic-murmansk/
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