On Saturday, the container ship Dubai Tower set sail for Northern Europe. The journey will take around three weeks, compared with approximately five to six weeks via the Suez Canal and up to seven to eight weeks when ships travel around Africa.
Fang Yi, general manager of Sea Legend Line, the company operating the route, told China Daily that after leaving China, the vessel will travel through the Northeast Passage along the Arctic coast, connecting the Bering Strait with the Barents Sea. In Europe, the ships will call at Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Gdynia.
For now, the Arctic corridor remains a seasonal option, with navigation generally possible from late July through October due to ice conditions and unpredictable weather. However, Sea Legend Line expects technological advances to eventually extend the navigation period to eight to 10 months a year.
Li Xiaobing, chief operating officer of Sea Legend Line, said advances in icebreaking and energy-efficient shipping technologies could significantly extend the navigation season over the next three to five years.
The cold Arctic climate also acts as a natural cold chain, with temperatures along the route typically ranging from −3°C to −10°C, making the corridor suitable for temperature-sensitive cargo.
In the next season, the company plans to operate more than eight sailings, connecting Chinese manufacturing hubs with major European ports. Following the initial trials, several partner ports in Europe have already expressed interest in regular services along the route.
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