resolute sits on the shore of northwest passage. frozen solid for most of the year, this potential shipping lane, cuts through canada from the atlantic to the pacific ocean. for the first time in history the passage recently became ice free during the summer months. if it stays that way, the distance ships have to travel from europe to parts of asia, could be cut by thousands of kilometers. billions of dollars in transportation costs could be saved. but canada has repeatedly resisted claims that the passage is part of international waters. >> as the ice melts, as the technology improves, as the international regime evolves, whats happening is the arctic ocean is becoming an ocean like any other. the challenge for the arctic states, are countries like china, japan, south korea, the european union, are saying this is becoming an iternational space...we want to participate. currently in 2012, there is push back to that idea. the us and canada similarly. have agreed to disagree about the status of the nothwest passage. the united states