Chinese operator Sea Legend Shipping will launch the first direct container service between China and Northern Europe via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in September. The voyage will be carried out by the only vessel of the season, the 4,890 TEU container ship Istanbul Bridge, which will call at the ports of Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Gdansk. The delivery time will be just 18 days, which is twice as fast as the traditional route via the Cape of Good Hope.
The company, registered in Singapore and associated with the operator Safetrans Line, is focusing on the transportation of perishable and high-value goods – electronics, clothing and fashion goods. According to industry media, the first voyage is already fully booked. Sea Legend previously distinguished itself during the crisis in the Red Sea, providing alternative transportation with enhanced security, and is now using its experience to develop the Arctic.
The launch of the new service was made possible by the seasonal reduction of ice loads and cooperation with Russia’s Rosatomflot, which provides icebreaker assistance and develops the NSR infrastructure. Experts note that the Sea Legend project reflects the strategic deepening of the partnership between China and Russia in the Arctic, including joint initiatives in the field of LNG and shipping.