Chinese Ships Get Green Light for Arctic Route

Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom has authorized seven Chinese transit vessels to use the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic to reach Europe.

According to Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev, Chinese container company Sea Legend Shipping plans to launch the first regular container service between China and Europe along the route.

Unlike previous voyages, which were mostly experimental or one-off trips, the 2026 plan calls for ships to operate weekly throughout the navigation season.

Moscow has long sought to turn the Northern Sea Route into a major alternative to the Suez Canal, but higher shipping costs and seasonal ice have made that difficult to achieve quickly.

Likhachev said the Arctic route was becoming increasingly important as the situation in the Persian Gulf deteriorated and logistical and political uncertainty grew.

(Reuters, mja)