Bering Strait Tunnel Border and Customs Regime:
Climate, Infrastructure, and Organization of Intercontinental Cooperation

Bering Strait Tunnel Border and Customs Regime: Climate, Infrastructure, and Organization of Intercontinental Cooperation

By Fyodor Soloview
President, InterBering LLC - Anchorage, 2025

1. Introduction

This document presents an analytical review by InterBering LLC on the prospective border and customs regime for the Bering Strait Tunnel within the broader context of a tri-national transportation corridor linking China, Russia, and the United States. It summarizes legal, engineering, climatic, and social aspects related to the organization of an intercontinental rail and logistics system connecting the industrial centers of East Asia with North America through the Bering Strait.

The concept recognizes the growing role of China as the primary source of freight flows, Russia as the essential transit territory, and the United States as the final destination and distribution hub. The proposed system of juxtaposed controls and international preclearance aims to harmonize procedures among all three nations, ensuring the secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable movement of goods and passengers across continents.

2. Principles of Border and Customs Control

The organization of control should be based on the international model of juxtaposed controls, successfully applied between the United Kingdom and France on the Eurostar line (Paris–London) and through the Channel Tunnel and Dover–Calais ferry routes. Under this system, inspection of passengers and cargo by the receiving country takes place before crossing the border, within secure preclearance zones jointly administered by both sides.

In the initial stage, the traditional concept envisions two main terminals — one on the Russian side (Chukotka) and one on the U.S. side (Alaska). On Russian territory near Anadyr or Provideniya, inspection of passengers and cargo bound for the United States could be performed within an international control area where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers operate under special extraterritorial authority, similar to Eurostar terminals in Europe. After clearance, passengers and cargo would be deemed admitted to the United States and could transit the Bering Strait Tunnel without additional checks.

However, with the growing share of freight originating in China, a more efficient alternative would shift the principal Asian preclearance operations from Russia to northeastern China (Heilongjiang Province, near Harbin). In this configuration, a U.S. customs and border depot located in China could handle outbound shipments and passenger screening prior to tunnel entry, allowing sealed trains to cross Russia as transit cargo without further inspection. This arrangement would align with international preclearance standards while significantly simplifying logistics and reducing operational costs.

On the U.S. side (Alaska), reciprocal facilities could host China-operated customs and border personnel responsible for inspecting cargo and passengers bound for China. Anchorage — especially the Port MacKenzie area across Knik Arm — offers a warmer climate, greater safety, and much better access to housing and services than the remote Arctic ports of Nome or Fairbanks.

Through this evolving tri-national arrangement, Russia would continue to play a vital transit and security role along the corridor, while the primary border-control infrastructure could be established in existing, climate-friendly metropolitan centers. This approach maintains sovereignty for all participants, ensures continuous rail flow, and introduces a new level of logistical and diplomatic efficiency across the Eurasia–America route.

3. Legal Framework

A three‑party international treaty, modeled in part on but expanding beyond the 2003 Le Touquet Agreement, would authorize the presence of border and customs officials from each participating nation — China, Russia, and the United States — to operate within designated territories of the others. This comprehensive agreement would formalize the creation and legal status of international preclearance zones established in Harbin, across Russia's Far East transit corridor, and in the Anchorage / Port MacKenzie area.

Unlike the traditional bilateral arrangements applied in Europe, a tri‑national treaty is essential because it reflects the true geography and logistics of the Eurasia–America corridor: most freight originates in China, transits Russian territory, and terminates in the United States. Therefore, all three parties must participate directly in defining jurisdiction, inspection rights, taxation rules, and operational procedures. This ensures that sealed cargo and passenger trains can pass through transit zones without repeated inspections or delays, while maintaining full compliance with international law and national sovereignty.

The treaty would also establish shared responsibilities for border safety, document verification, data exchange, and mutual recognition of inspection results. By introducing this new legal framework, the project would set a precedent for large–scale transcontinental cooperation, balancing security, efficiency, and respect for each nation’s authority.

4. Climate and Engineering Conditions

The Bering Strait region lies within an extreme Arctic climate zone, characterized by long, dark winters, heavy storms, and temperatures that can drop to −60 °C (−76 °F). In such conditions, rail depots and terminals located near Chukotka or Fairbanks would require full enclosure, continuous heating, and sophisticated ventilation and exhaust systems to prevent ice buildup and to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.

By contrast, the proposed alternative depot locations — Harbin (Heilongjiang Province, China) and Anchorage (Port MacKenzie area, Alaska) — benefit from far milder climates and well–developed urban infrastructure. Harbin experiences an average annual temperature of approximately −4 °C (25 °F) in winter, with extreme lows near −25 °C (−13 °F), while Anchorage averages around −8 °C (18 °F) in winter, with lows near −25 °C (−13 °F). Both cities enjoy warmer summers ranging between +15 °C and +22 °C (59–72 °F), permitting efficient year–round operations without excessive energy use for heating.

Locating the main intercontinental depots in these moderate climate zones reduces construction and maintenance complexity, limits the environmental impact associated with energy production in the Arctic, and ensures safer, more comfortable working conditions for staff. Each major hub would still require extensive rail infrastructure capable of serving up to 100 trains simultaneously, occupying a combined area comparable to several dozen football fields, but without the high cost of thermal insulation and constant power generation demanded by polar conditions.

5. Geography and Topography

Chukotka’s mountainous terrain near Uelen complicates large-scale depot construction. Feasible alternatives on the Russian side include creating an artificial plateau using excavated rock or developing infrastructure around Anadyr or Provideniya, where some facilities already exist.

Given that most freight will originate in China, an alternative and more efficient configuration would establish a U.S.–managed preclearance customs and border facility inside China, near the northern border in Heilongjiang Province (Harbin area). Under this arrangement, all trains would be sealed in China and would transit through Russia as through–traffic, without any need for Russian customs or border inspections. Such an approach, to be realized through bilateral and trilateral agreements, could greatly simplify operations and reduce logistical barriers.

A major advantage of this system is the ability to create a continuous standard–gauge (1,435 mm) corridor from China to the United States via Russia. This would eliminate two gauge–change breaks at the Chinese–Russian and Russian–U.S. interfaces (since Russia uses 1,520 mm), ensuring time savings, uninterrupted high–speed capability, and greater network efficiency.

If the Russian side wishes to add cargo shipments to the United States, receive U.S. cargo, or organize passenger traffic between Russia, Europe, and the U.S. — they could simply operate their conventional (regular, slower) trains or, in the future, high–speed trains built on the Russian–gauge network to the main depot in China near Harbin. There, all cargo and passengers would transfer to China–originated high–speed trains that continue directly to the United States. This cooperative hub model would preserve Russia’s transit role while keeping overall customs control and technical uniformity within the U.S.–China corridor.

On the U.S. side, Nome, Fairbanks, and Anchorage remain viable terminal options. However, for the same climatic and logistical reasons as on the Asian coast, the combination of a milder climate and extensive flat terrain near Anchorage—particularly on the Port MacKenzie side of Knik Arm—appears more suitable for establishing a juxtaposed–control zone under Chinese operational participation (with U.S. oversight) than Nome or even Fairbanks. Warmer conditions lessen the need for fully enclosed depots and provide a more favorable working environment for personnel managing hundreds of train sets.

6. Energy and Environment

Self–sufficient energy systems — such as modular nuclear, gas–turbine, or geothermal plants — will supply reliable power for the Bering Strait Tunnel and related rail infrastructure. These systems are designed to operate safely in remote northern conditions while minimizing emissions and waste.

However, by locating the principal customs and border depots in warmer, already developed regions — such as Anchorage (Port MacKenzie area) and Harbin (Heilongjiang Province) — the overall need for intensive heating and on-site power generation would be greatly reduced. Unlike facilities that would have to be constructed in the high Arctic, depots situated in existing urban zones can draw upon local utility grids and established infrastructure. This eliminates the necessity of installing large independent power plants solely for heating and climate control.

The resulting reduction in fuel consumption and emissions will significantly lower the environmental footprint of the entire system and help preserve the fragile Arctic ecosystems along the coasts of Chukotka and north-western Alaska. Concentrating energy-demanding operations in milder climates thus not only cuts costs but also ensures that the natural landscapes around the Bering Strait remain largely undisturbed by industrial development.

7. Personnel and Residential Infrastructure

The proposed system envisions two reciprocal residential and operational complexes supporting customs, border, and technical personnel from both nations in secure, comfortable, and family–oriented environments.

On the U.S. side, a China–operated customs and inspection depot could be developed near Anchorage, in the Port MacKenzie area across Knik Arm. This region offers a milder sub–Arctic climate compared with Nome or Fairbanks and provides convenient access to Anchorage’s metropolitan amenities — housing, shopping, schools, health care, and cultural life. Chinese customs and technical staff could live locally and interact freely within the Anchorage community while serving at the secure depot site.

Conversely, on the Chinese side, a U.S. customs and border–control depot could be situated in Heilongjiang Province, near Harbin. The climate there is significantly warmer and more hospitable than in Chukotka, providing a safer and more comfortable setting for long–term U.S. deployment. Residential quarters would include modern family housing, schools, clinics, and recreation facilities, enabling personnel and their families to maintain normal daily life and well–being during service.

Both depots would function as terminal and preclearance hubs from which trains — both cargo and passenger — depart sealed and non–stop to the opposite depot across the Bering Strait. Because the intervening regions of north–western Alaska, Chukotka, and the Russian Far East have extremely low population densities, there would be no operational or logistical need for intermediate stops. This sealed–corridor system enhances efficiency, security, and predictability of the transcontinental route.

For passengers, Anchorage and Harbin would serve as the last major cities before entering the Bering Strait Tunnel, offering the most diverse opportunities for rest, entertainment, and sightseeing during planned layovers of one or more days. Both cities thus become natural gateways between continents, combining transportation functionality with vibrant cultural exchange.

Each residential community — Anchorage–based for Chinese personnel and Harbin–based for U.S. personnel — would operate under host–country jurisdiction and bilateral security protocols. Both sites would emphasize sustainability, renewable–energy systems, and integration with local economies, representing a tangible symbol of trust, cooperation, and long–term partnership between the two nations.

8. Advantages of Juxtaposed Control

The introduction of a tri-national juxtaposed-control system — involving the United States, China, and Russia — creates a seamless and secure mechanism for managing border and customs procedures on both ends of the Bering Strait corridor. By performing all inspections and documentation checks before departure, the system enables faster, safer, and more predictable transcontinental crossings.

With U.S. preclearance facilities in China and China-operated depots in Alaska, the movement of sealed trains between the two continents occurs without redundant inspections or intermediate stops. This approach maximizes throughput, reduces administrative overhead, and eliminates the need for customs facilities in the sparsely populated regions of Chukotka and north-western Alaska.

Beyond its practical advantages, this cooperative model symbolizes a new era of engineering, economic, and diplomatic collaboration between the three nations. It demonstrates how major infrastructure projects can transcend geography and politics to advance shared technological standards, environmental safeguards, and people-to-people exchange. Just as the Channel Tunnel became a lasting emblem of European unity, the Bering Strait Tunnel under a U.S.–China–Russia partnership could stand as a landmark of global cooperation and trust.

9. Note: Why Border Control Differs for Air Travel and Rail Transport

Air Travel - Control Upon Arrival:
Aircraft passengers are screened upon arrival because the plane remains outside national jurisdiction until entering the destination's airspace. The airport of arrival is legally the first point of entry, where immigration and customs officers decide on admissibility.

Rail Travel - Control Before Departure:
For cross-border rail lines (e.g., Paris-London), "juxtaposed controls" apply. Border officials from both countries operate in preclearance zones at the departure terminal - for instance, UK officers at Paris Gare du Nord and French officers at London St Pancras. This prevents unauthorized passengers from boarding and expedites disembarkation.

Why This Difference Exists:

• Trains cannot "pause midair," so control must occur before departure.
• Special treaties (like Le Touquet, 2003) permit extraterritorial inspections.
• Arrival times are reduced - passengers disembark without additional screening.

Similar procedures also apply to ferries between Dover and Calais.

Summary:
• Aviation: inspection after arrival.
• Rail/ferry: inspection before departure, ensuring continuous jurisdiction and smooth entry.

10. Conclusion

The success of the Bering Strait Tunnel project depends upon enduring political stability, mutual trust, and economic collaboration among the participating nations. Beyond its massive engineering scale, the initiative symbolizes a new model of tri‑national cooperation — linking China, Russia, and the United States in a continuous corridor of commerce and cultural exchange.

By situating preclearance depots and residential facilities in moderate climate zones such as Harbin and Anchorage / Port MacKenzie, the project embraces both technological rationality and environmental responsibility. It minimizes energy consumption, protects the fragile Arctic ecosystem, and offers humane living and working conditions for thousands of staff and their families on both sides of the Pacific.

The envisioned rail corridor will allow sealed high‑speed trains to traverse from Asia to North America in a matter of days, passing through Russia’s Far East without interruption or unnecessary border delays. Such connectivity will redefine intercontinental trade, logistics, and travel — transforming the Arctic frontier into a zone of peaceful development rather than geopolitical division.

Ultimately, the InterBering concept stands not merely as an engineering feat, but as a peace–building platform that reconnects the world’s greatest continents through shared technology, trust, and mutual benefit. By demonstrating that infrastructure can unite rather than divide, this project aspires to become a lasting symbol of twenty‑first–century cooperation between East and West.

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