With growing autonomy, Greenland belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark, has 56,900 inhabitants and an area of 2,000,000 km2; it has an ecosystem made up of whales, seals and tundra vegetation.
In winter, temperatures can range from 7°C in the south to -34°C in the north, and in summer, the average temperature is 7°C. It also has two months of midnight sun during the summer, meaning that the sun shines 24 hours a day.
Following the US government’s interest in acquiring this large Arctic island, Greenland has aroused curiosity about the strategic role it can play in global trade.
What are the main opportunities Greenland offers in transport and logistics?
New transport routes
As a result of climate change, between 1985 and 2022, Greenland lost 5,000 km² of ice cover, which reduced navigation difficulties and opened up new maritime transport routes. The number of vessels entering the area regulated by the Arctic Code increased from 1,298 in 2013 to 1,782 in 2023, or 37.3% in a decade.
Strategic geographic location
The North Sea route is establishing itself as an alternative that reduces travel times between Asia and Europe by up to 50%, competing with traditional corridors such as the Panama and Suez Canals. Although it is currently a seasonal route, during the 2025 season it moved 3.2 million tons of cargo.
Furthermore, the region is of great interest to China and Russia because of the advantages it offers, as polar ice melt promises to open up sea routes that would reduce the distance between Shanghai and Rotterdam by almost 30% compared to the route through the Suez Canal.
New energies
Greenland has the capacity to produce minerals such as lithium, graphite, and zinc, which are essential inputs for electric vehicles, semiconductors, and renewable energy, basic components for the energy transition and advanced manufacturing.
It could also account for up to 25%of all the world’s rare earth element resources, which contain magnetic properties that are fundamental to the manufacture of electric vehicle motors and wind turbines.
Security and geopolitical aspects
Russia has increased scientific expeditions and trade with Greenland, as well as the presence of military vessels. It has also reopened and expanded military bases on its Arctic coast. China, for its part, has mining projects and scientific agreements in place.
The United States already has military access to Greenland through the Thule Air Base located in the north of the island, which has been key to its missile defense and surveillance system in the northern hemisphere. However, with more power over the region could block its competitors and allow it to access critical minerals and potential hydrocarbon reserves, as well as gain significant global economic control.
Aware that global trade is increasingly changing and complex, ED Forwarding, a member of the PSA Group, has established strategic alliances and strengthened its infrastructure to offer excellent service and be the best ally for businesses, producers, and suppliers in the logistics sector.
