Climate change has enabled a Russian tanker to travel through the Arctic without icebreaker escort for the first time. The Christophe de Margerie completed the journey from Hammerfest in Norway to Boryeong in South Korea in only 19 days, the Guardian reported.

In doing so it was able to complete the journey 30 per cent faster than travelling via the Suez Canal, the alternative route.

Even though the £234 million tanker does have its own inbuilt icebreaker, in the past it has been impossible for tankers to undertake the journey without a separate escort.

The integral icebreaker enabled the tanker to get through the northern sea section of the Russian Arctic in only six and a half days, setting a new record.

“It’s very quick, particularly as there was no icebreaker escort which previously there had been in journeys,” said Bill Spears, spokesman for the shipping company which owns the tanker, Sovcomflot.

“It’s very exciting that a ship can go along this route all year round.”

While the rapid journey time is in part due to the innovative technology, it also illustrates the extent to which climate change has melted some of the ice.

Earlier this year it was reported that "polar heatwaves" had shrunk the icecaps down to an all-time low.