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But not articles saying "operate in the harsh Arctic waters year round rather than just the summer months."

Agree that navigation of the northern passage of itself is not new, but the anticipated year round transit without icebreaker is.

The article isn't describing a crossing of the Northwest Passage, it is about a crossing of the Northeast Passage.

These aren't at all the same thing as the current story. The 1906 expedition took three years. The St. Roch took two years.

i.e. these were major expeditions of the "visit the South Pole" sort, not commercial ventures that took a couple weeks.

I'm sure we'll be seeing these articles much more often than in the past now.

Articles claiming it is the first have no more reason for being written after this one.

Except, this was a specially designed ship that likely would have made the journey alone anyway.

When a non-specialised ship goes through without an ice breaker will be another first.