China and Russia have launched the Arctic Express No. 1 rail and sea freight service, which could become a new channel for global trade in the face of climate change, Splash247 reports.
NewNew Shipping Line and Russia’s state-owned nuclear company Rosatom inaugurated the new service on July 5. Arctic Express No. 1 will carry cargo by rail from Moscow to the Russian port of Arkhangelsk, from where it will be shipped across the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans to ports on China’s west coast. The journey is about 13,200 kilometres and takes 20 to 25 days.
The container ship is being navigated and transported by NewNew Shipping Line, while Rosatom is responsible for pilotage and escort along the route. The Chinese cargo ship NewNew Polar Bear first used the Arctic route in July last year and has already made seven voyages.
According to Russian data, about 2.13 million tonnes of cargo were transported along the Arctic route last year. The advantages of the new route are low dependence on traditional shipping routes and minimal congestion, NewNew Shipping Line spokesman Yuan Jing said, adding that it will have a great impact on the global shipping strategy. Compared with the traditional route through the Suez Canal, it is 5,000-8,000 kilometres shorter and saves at least 20 days. It also has fewer ports, no traffic jams and avoids the current difficulties in the Red Sea region.
Last month, NewNew Shipping Line and Rosatom signed an agreement to create a fleet of ships that will be able to ply the Arctic Express No. 1 route year-round. Five ARC7-class polar container ships will be built first, with the first to enter service in 2027. The deal will help China and Russia establish normal shipping through the Arctic throughout the year, not just in summer and autumn.
The prospects for the Arctic route depend not only on technological breakthroughs, but also on subsequent commercial operations and supporting infrastructure such as terminals and railways connecting terminals to final destinations, Yang Jie, senior coordinator of the International Railway Consultation Service Centre of the China Communications and Transport Association, said.
