China's New Arctic Route Is A 20-Day Voyage To Europe. But There's A Catch

A Chinese shipping company is taking a major bet on the Arctic, which is one of the world's most difficult waterways. To reduce the voyage route from about 40 days to 20 days, Sea Legend will begin regular sailings this weekend along the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

However, the route is Moscow-controlled and runs along Russia's northern coastline.

The new route will connect Ningbo in eastern China with Felixstowe in Britain, which will cut the journey to around 20 days and could become the fastest sea link between East Asia and northwestern Europe.

A 7,500-Mile Journey Through the Arctic

The first vessel, a 35,000-tonne container ship carrying about 1,700 containers and a crew of 20, left Ningbo on Friday, according to a report by The Telegraph.

The ship will then have to navigate between floating ice before reaching the North Sea and eventually Felixstowe, which is Britain's largest container port.

The voyage is expected to take about three weeks and covers roughly 12,000 kilometres.

Sea Legend plans to run the service once a week for around two months, taking advantage of the short summer period when Arctic waters are sufficiently free of ice.

Why Shipping Companies Are Looking North

Global conflicts, tariffs and disruption around established trade routes have pushed shipping companies to look for alternatives.

Since late 2023, Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have forced major container lines to largely avoid the Suez Canal and take the much longer route around southern Africa.

More than 95 per cent of container traffic between Asia and Europe has reportedly been diverted around the Cape of Good Hope, with some journeys taking as long as 50 days.

But this route has its own set of disadvantages.

Russia Controls The Route

For much of the year, thick ice makes the Northern Sea Route passage impossible. Even during summer, navigable conditions last only for a limited period, and ships may require icebreaker assistance.

Access is controlled by Rosatom, Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company, which oversees the country's fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers.

That makes the route particularly sensitive for European companies. Some have already pledged to stay away because of concerns about operating in a waterway controlled by Moscow while Russia remains at war with Ukraine.

However, South Korean shipping company PanStar is also expected to conduct a trial voyage later this month.

China's Arctic Ambitions

The trade route also reflects a much bigger Chinese interest in the region. Beijing began developing plans for Arctic shipping nearly a decade ago, after describing China as a "near-Arctic state".

The Northern Sea Route fits neatly into its Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to expand trade links between Asia, Europe and Africa.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, China has emerged as the dominant foreign trading partner using the route. The growing traffic has helped Russia maintain trade and provided China with another source of energy, while Chinese shipping activity in the Arctic has steadily expanded.

That has raised concerns in Western capitals that Beijing's commercial presence could eventually have strategic or even military implications.

Sino-Russian Attempt To Achieve Hegemony?

Peter Sand, a shipping analyst at logistics specialist Xeneta, believes the commercial argument may only be part of the story.

"This probably has as much to do with security policy and claiming territory at an early stage in the opening up of the Arctic as it does actual trade," he told CNN.

"Russian icebreakers would be patrolling the area regardless of commercial shipping as part of Moscow's sovereignty claim. So helping China launch these routes makes good sense," he added.