MURMANSK, August 20. /TASS/. China’s NewNew Shipping Line plans to increase the volume of cargo shipments along the Northern Sea Route to 1.2 mln tons, the company's Chief Executive Officer Ke Jin said.

"We plan to progressively put six new container ships into service by the end of October this year. These jointly operated vessels will enable us to reach a cargo volume of 1.2 mln tons by 2027," he said at the ceremony marking the arrival of the first container ship from China to Murmansk via the Northern Sea Route.

In July 2024, NewNew Shipping Line launched the Arctic Express No. 1, a new trade route traversing the Northern Sea Route. It connected major Chinese ports, Shanghai and Ningbo, with Arkhangelsk via the NSR. In June 2026, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), authorities from the Murmansk Region reached an agreement with the Chinese company regarding the first direct transshipment of around 500 containers through the Murmansk Commercial Seaport.

On August 19, the first container ship from China docked at the port of Murmansk. It traveled via the Northern Sea Route and delivered automotive components. For the Murmansk Commercial Seaport, this is the first experience of handling containerized cargo delivered via this route.