What does the phrase mean here?

[sky753]

Hello Everyone,

I have read a report about the abrupt decrease of ice in the Arctic region. In which there is phrase I can't fully understand.

The pharse is in the following paragraph.

The waters are exposing unexplored resources, and vessels could trim thousands of miles from Europe to Asia by bypassing the Panama Canal. The seasonal ebb and flow of ice levels has already opened up a slim summer window for ships.

What does the slim summer window mean here? Does the window mean a passage through the Arctic region.
And another question here why the seasonal increase and decrease of the ice have opened up a slim summer window for ships?

You can find the complete report by clicking Arctic ice melt opens Northwest Passage - Yahoo! News



Regards

Sky

[justinwschang]

Hello Everyone,

I have read a report about the abrupt decrease of ice in the Arctic region. In which there is phrase I can't fully understand.

The pharse is in the following paragraph.

The waters are exposing unexplored resources, and vessels could trim thousands of miles from Europe to Asia by bypassing the Panama Canal. The seasonal ebb and flow of ice levels has already opened up a slim summer window for ships.

What does the slim summer window mean here? Does the window mean a passage through the Arctic region. The "window" refers to a (short) time during summer (when the ice melts) when a narrow (slim) passage is opened through the ice for ships to pass through.

You can find the complete report by clicking Arctic ice melt opens Northwest Passage - Yahoo! News

Regards

Richard

[sky753]

Thanks a million for your explanation!

Acording to your reply, the phase should open up a period of time. It doesn't seem to conform to the logic. I feel the window should have the meaning of passage or something like that. Why does the author use the word "windows" here?

Regards

Sky

[justinwschang]

Thanks a million for your explanation!

Acording to your reply, the phase should open up a period of time. It doesn't seem to conform to the logic. I feel the window should have the meaning of passage or something like that. Why does the author use the word "windows" here?

Regards

Sky

Both "slim" and "window" refer to time = a short or narrow time during summer. The words do not describe the passage or its width: I made a reading mistake regarding "slim" - it does not describe a narrow passage but rather a short summer period when a passage through the ice is opened up.

[sky753]

I still think window here means passage!

[Anglika]

The seasonal ebb and flow of ice levels has already opened up a slim summer window for ships.

The North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific has been sought by sailors for the last 500 years.The ice levels are now low enough in the summer that there is a short period when ships can transverse the Arctic Ocean to the north of Canada. It is a slim window of opportunity in the summer for ships to use these waters.



Maps of the Northwest Passage

[sky753]

The seasonal ebb and flow of ice levels has already opened up a slim summer window for ships.

The North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific has been sought by sailors for the last 500 years.The ice levels are now low enough in the summer that there is a short period when ships can transverse the Arctic Ocean to the north of Canada. It is a slim window of opportunity in the summer for ships to use these waters.





Maps of the Northwest Passage

Then what do you think is the meaning of 'slim window' here? Is it a fixed phrase?

[Anglika]

It is a figure of speech for a small period of opportunity during which something can take place. It can also be found as "a narrow window of...".

[BobK]

It's even entered modern business jargon. A businessman may say to his assistant: 'I need to talk to Fred about the figures as soon as possible. Can you check whether he has a window any time this morning?'

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