From gCaptain, October 28:
Container shipping via the Arctic is set for a massive boost in 2026. After completing the first-ever Arctic Express voyage from Ningbo-Zhoushan, China to Felixstowe, UK in a record 20 days earlier this month, Chinese operator Sealegend plans to conduct 16 voyages via the Arctic next year.
“Overall, the inaugural voyage of the Northeast Passage of the Arctic Seaway has basically met expectations. The Arctic Seaway has natural advantages and is indeed worthy of vigorous promotion,” said the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Li Xiaobin, in a recent interview.
Sealegend plans to take full advantage of next year’s summer “ice-free” season between July and November to conduct its voyages. It is unclear if the company plans to acquire additional ice-class container vessels. Istanbul Bridge’s low Ice1 ice classification proved sufficient to cross the Arctic Ocean in late September.
Istanbul Bridge’s arrival in Europe was delayed by two days due to severe weather in northern Europe and a strike at the port of Rotterdam. In contrast, the conditions in the Arctic were as expected, with relatively calm seas, confirmed Li. The vessel completed one of the fastest Arctic transits on record, traveling 3,500 nautical miles from the Bering Strait to the Barents Sea at close to 17 knots.
A full roundtrip voyage via the Arctic with loadings and unloadings at several ports in China and Europe takes around two months. Thus, Sealegend would need to dedicate 5-6 vessels to complete 16 voyages in a 4-5 months period.
The company thinks that if the shipping window can be expanded to 8-10 months in the future through the use of high ice-class containerships it’s Arctic Express will become a very interesting economic proposition....
....MUCH MORE
October 22:
"Chinese Freighter Halves EU Delivery Time on Maiden Arctic Voyage to UK"
This has been Putin's baby for a very long time. Some backstory:
March 29, 2018
Russian navy’s Arctic patrol vessels suffer delays of 3-4 years
President Putin almost looks upon the Arctic as his pet project, a really large pet project but his, and the fact the government budget can't come up with the loot to pay for the ships is an intriguing insight into Russia's true financial state. I guess even theSeptember 2018Autocrat of all the RussiasPresident of Russia has limits....
"Shipping: Venta Maersk Successfully Transits Russia's Northern Sea Route Becoming The First Container Ship To Do So", here's a story we've been waiting to link, from Egypt Today:
CAIRO – 29 August 2018: Although Maersk will be sending its Venta Maersk vessel to collect data from the Arctic sea route in the next few days, research has shown that the Suez Canal Route is more cost effective and will remain unaffected....And another on Maersk and the NSR:
Shipping: "Venta Maersk Completes Northern Sea Route Trial Passage"
September 2019
Shipping: Egypt (Suez Canal) Is A Bit Nervous About Russia's Northern Sea Route
One problem that Russia's ambitious plans are creating is the effect of their icebreakers on the overall polar ice sheet.
You get both mechanical weakening of the sheet allowing the broken ice to move around and something I haven't seen quantified, the effect on the albedo (reflectivity) of the ice when it is broken and exposes a) the water underneath and b) the rough planes of the ice chunks. It might be nothing but with Russia basically planning a bus route back and forth for eight months of the year it might be important.
And many more, use the 'search blog' box upper left if interested.
