China to test Arctic route for faster cargo shipments to Europe

The Chinese port of Ningbo is preparing to launch a cargo ship that will test a new shipping route via the Northern Sea Route.

Chinese authorities have scheduled the vessel to depart on September 20. Although Chinese companies previously conducted trial shipments via the Northern Sea Route, they now plan a more challenging voyage, Caliber.Az reports via Politico.

"They did point-to-point trips, like from one Chinese port to Hamburg or to St. Petersburg," Humpert said. "This voyage is different. They’re trying four ports in China, then through the Arctic, then the U.K., Rotterdam, Hamburg and Gdańsk. That actually resembles a normal shipping route," Malte Humpert, founder of the US Arctic Institute, told the publication.

He noted that just 5-10 years ago, everyone believed that transportation via the Northern Sea Route would hardly be possible before 2040-2050.

"We are in 2025, and the Chinese are doing it. Do they make money? It doesn’t really matter. It’s about gaining the knowledge and understanding of how to do it. That’s what the Chinese are doing, they’re gaining the experience and training the shipping crews," the expert said.

Humpert explained that the development of the Northern Sea Route was made possible by climate change, as these changes occur more rapidly in the Arctic region than in other parts of the planet. Nevertheless, he believes that most global trade will continue to flow through the traditional route via the Suez Canal.

"But if you play these 30 or 40 years into the future, and the ice melts another 30, 40, 50 per cent, suddenly you have six months of no ice, and the Arctic becomes a very interesting equation. The Arctic is not going to replace the Suez Canal tomorrow. That’s not what’s happening. The Suez Canal and the Panama Canal will remain there. But the Arctic will become supplemental," Humpert concluded.

For the record, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is a vital shipping corridor along Russia's Arctic coastline, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by passing north of Eurasia. It offers a significantly shorter journey between Europe and Asia compared to traditional routes like the Suez Canal, potentially saving time and fuel costs.

By Khagan Isayev