South Korean container ship will test Arctic route to Europe amid Western concern

The Northern Sea Route, chiefly used by Chinese and Russian vessels, could shorten voyages and save fuel, but requires Russian cooperation

If successful, the trip would be South Korea’s first such commercial voyage to Europe via the Arctic, placing it with China and Russia among the few countries whose shipping firms have tested or run cargo services along the route.

Sailing north from the port of Busan, the PanStar Acro will make stops at Felixstowe in Britain, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Poland’s Gdansk before returning in a journey expected to take 40 to 45 days, its operator PanStar said.

“Around September, when this voyage will mainly take place, Arctic sea ice is at its lowest level of the year, making safer navigation possible,” an official of the group said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak to media.