Openai/6923a991-c3a0-800d-9d39-c404e14809f7

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gpt-5-1

User: is the drake passage a regular shipping channel

is the drake passage a regular shipping channel

Assistant: Short answer: No — the Drake Passage is not considered a regular commercial shipping channel.

Short answer: No — the Drake Passage is not considered a regular commercial shipping channel.

Why not?

• Extreme conditions: The Drake Passage is notorious for some of the roughest seas, strongest winds, and largest waves on Earth. Most commercial shipping avoids it whenever possible.
• Better alternatives: Cargo ships moving between the Atlantic and Pacific overwhelmingly use: - The Panama Canal (the main route) - The Strait of Magellan (historically important, calmer, but longer and narrower)

Who does* use it regularly? - Antarctic expedition cruise ships - Research vessels - Ice-rated supply ships servicing Antarctic bases

So is it ever used for cargo?

Occasionally, yes — ships too large for the Panama Canal or on very specific routes may transit the Drake, but this is uncommon and not part of mainstream shipping routes.

If you’d like, I can describe what the crossing is like, why the seas are so rough, or how long it typically takes.