China is accelerating the development of its Arctic shipping routes.
This summer, 38 Chinese container ships departed from Chinese ports to utilize the Arctic route, heading towards Russia or Northern Europe, according to the South China Morning Post on August 18. Half of these vessels are expected to return to China via the Arctic route.
Last year, 23 Chinese ships passed through the Arctic route, with 17 being commercial vessels. In 2024, 15 ships traversed the Arctic route.
Additionally, Chinese shipping company Sea Legend has launched a regular container service connecting China and Europe via the Arctic route starting this month. The company has scheduled eight container ship routes between Ningbo, China, and the ports of Felixstowe in the UK, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Hamburg in Germany by October. The company reported that the first two container ships have already been fully loaded, with more orders continuing to come in. Sea Legend primarily operates small to medium-sized container ships and plans to transport electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar products to Europe via the Arctic route.
The Arctic route is navigable only from July to October each year. It also requires icebreakers to accompany the ships, and there are few supply bases available. However, using the Arctic route significantly reduces transportation time. Ships can reach European ports like St. Petersburg from China in about 30 days, compared to approximately 45 days via the Suez Canal and about 60 days around the Cape of Good Hope.
Moreover, the Arctic route offers China a way to avoid geopolitical risks. Geopolitical strategist Vina Chakarova explained, "From China's perspective, concerns about potential blockages in the supply of essential raw materials through the Indo-Pacific supply chain are among the reasons for its investment in the Arctic route."
While the number of ships operating on the Arctic route is increasing, it still represents only a small fraction of the cargo volume passing through the Suez Canal. However, the Arctic route is considered to have significant potential for the future, with various countries, including South Korea, preparing for the Arctic route era.
Meanwhile, the Chinese state-run Global Times commented on August 18 that "China is increasingly becoming a reliable partner in Arctic issues in terms of capability and credibility," noting that China has consistently invested in polar scientific exploration and provided important data for Arctic climate change research. It emphasized that the China-Europe Arctic route is an important international public good and that the future of the Arctic should be a new horizon for international cooperation rather than a battleground for geopolitical competition.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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