South Korea is dispatching a container ship via the Arctic's Northern Sea Route to Europe on Saturday, marking the country's first use of the passage for trade and reflecting a broader push to establish the route as a fixed commercial corridor by 2030.
The PanStar Acro will depart Busan and sail north around Russia, stopping at Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk before returning home in an estimated 40 to 45 days. The voyage is timed for September, when Arctic sea ice reaches its annual minimum. The route can cut distances between Asia and Europe by up to 35% compared with the Suez Canal, according to Seoul's maritime ministry. President Lee Jae-myung has made Arctic shipping a priority, aiming to turn Busan into a global logistics hub.
Chinese carrier Sea Legend Shipping is also planning a regular container service via the Northern Sea Route. Traffic is rising: 23 container ships transited the passage in 2025, a record. However, several major Western lines including CMA-CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have pledged to avoid Arctic routes on environmental grounds, and European diplomats remain wary of engagement with Russia.