Singapore operator Sea Legend is launching a test container service from China to Europe via the Northern Sea Route. The route will connect the ports of Qingdao, Shanghai and Ningbo with European hubs in Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Gdansk. The first vessel will leave Qingdao on September 16 and is scheduled to arrive in Gdansk on October 13 — at the height of the pre-Christmas shipping season.
The new route is expected to reduce delivery time from China to Northern Europe to 18-20 days, compared to 40-50 days via the Suez Canal or the Cape of Good Hope, and will be competitive even with the intercontinental railway (25 days). The voyage will use a vessel adapted for Arctic shipping, and in the future Sea Legend plans to introduce vessels using alternative fuels. According to the company, CO₂ emissions on this route will be 50% lower than on traditional voyages via the Suez.
If the pilot project gains market support, Sea Legend intends to launch regular seasonal sailings along the Northern Sea Route (May–October) as early as next year. Gdansk’s participation in this project underlines its growing role as a strategic logistics hub in Europe and strengthens its position in global supply chains.