As the Northern Sea Route (NSR) becomes busy for this year’s summer navigation, the first Chinese boxship has arrived in the Russian Arctic port of Arkhangelsk.
The vessel Newnew Polar Bear operated by the Chinese carrier Newnew Shipping was received at the port on Friday. The container ship delivered 497 containers at the port, marking the start of a busy season under the expanded Arctic Express N1 service. The service connects China’s Shanghai and Ningbo ports to Arkhangelsk, providing a shorter shipping option compared to the longer Suez Canal route.
Newnew Polar Bear left Shanghai in July 16 and took less than a month to arrive at Arkhangelsk. Following 13 successful voyages last year, which transported more than 20,000 TEU, NewNew Shipping Line announced it would expand its Arctic service. This also includes deploying larger container ship on the route, following in the path of EZ Safetrans Logistics, which became the first Chinese carrier to deploy a Panamax boxship in the NSR last year.
During this year, Arkhangelsk expects 20 vessel calls from China through NSR, which is almost double the number received last year. Over a dozen vessels have received permits for the Russian Arctic route this year, with voyages happening between the months of July and November. In the case of NewNew Shipping, five of its container ships have permits to transit NSR this season.
Commenting on the arrival of Newnew Polar Bear, Arkhangelsk region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky noted that the vessel delivered auto parts, PVC film and steel for Russian enterprises.
“We will load export cargo onto the vessel – products from our timber industry that are in high demand in China. In approximately just over three weeks, products from Arkhangelsk enterprises will be delivered in China,” added Tsybulsky.
Last month, NewNew Shipping agreed to invest around $2.5 billion for the expansion of Arkhangelsk port. The project is seen as part of the wider Chinese-Russian partnership to ramp up Arctic shipping. To conduct year-round navigation in the NSR, NewNew Shipping has also announced it will order several Arc7 ice class container ships in partnership with the Russian nuclear agency, Rosatom.
NewNew Polar Bear is believed to have caused a gas line rupture via anchor-dragging in the Gulf of Finland in October 2023. The vessel’s former master has been arrested in connection with that incident.
