politics
CEO of World’s Largest Container Shipping Company Says ‘No’ to Arctic Shipping
As Arctic shipping attracts new interest from China and South Korea, MSC’s CEO delivers a categorical rejection of the Northern Sea Route for global container trade.
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The debate over Arctic shipping is heating up, but the world’s largest container shipping company wants no part of it.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has made clear it will not send its vessels through the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route (NSR), despite growing traffic, geopolitical interest, and climate-driven accessibility in the region.
In recent years, the Arctic has shifted from a speculative shortcut to an emerging, if still very marginal, shipping corridor.
Container ship traffic along the Northern Sea Route has grown steadily, reaching roughly two dozen voyages last year.
Chinese shipping interests have been at the forefront of this expansion, positioning the NSR as part of Beijing’s broader “Polar Silk Road” ambitions.
The debate around the Arctic is intensifying
Among the most closely watched sailings was the Istanbul Bridge, a medium container vessel that completed an Arctic transit in just 20 days and became a symbol of the route’s growing commercial visibility.
South Korea has also signaled its intent to test the waters, announcing plans for a trial NSR voyage in 2026.
Yet for MSC, these developments do not alter the company’s calculus.
Speaking on the issue, CEO Søren Toft underscored that Arctic shipping is firmly on the industry’s agenda, while making clear where MSC stands.
“The debate around the Arctic is intensifying, and commercial shipping is part of that discussion,” Toft said.
“Our position at MSC is clear. We do not and will not use the Northern Sea Route.”
Safety and the environment remain key questions
Toft’s reasoning is rooted in safety, environmental protection, and operational necessity, or rather, the lack of it.
“Safe navigation cannot be assured. The risks for crews remain too high. And increased traffic would put additional pressure on fragile ecosystems and local communities,” he said. “Also, there’s no operational need for MSC to transit the Arctic. Our fleet and network allow us to transport customer cargo safely and reliably worldwide without doing so.”
This stance mirrors earlier statements from other major container lines.
Hapag-Lloyd, among others, has previously ruled out Arctic routes, citing similar concerns around safety, liability, and environmental stewardship.
For the largest global operators, the Northern Sea Route offers little reward relative to its risks.
Even during periods of extreme disruption, such as the prolonged unavailability of the Suez Canal in 2024 and parts of 2025, companies like MSC faced no operational dependency on an Arctic shortcut.
Traffic still set to grow
That does not mean the NSR lacks relevance altogether. For smaller, more specialized operators, the route can offer tangible advantages.
Safe navigation cannot be assured
Shorter distances between northern Asia and parts of Europe can reduce sailing time, fuel consumption, and overall emissions.
However, these benefits must be carefully weighed.
Black carbon emissions from vessels operating in the Arctic have a disproportionate environmental impact, accelerating localized ice melt and amplifying climate feedback loops in one of the planet’s most sensitive regions.
Existing Arctic voyages also raise unresolved questions about compliance and oversight.
Uncertainty persists over whether container ships transiting the NSR, including Istanbul Bridge, fully meet the requirements of the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code.
The issue becomes even more acute with oil tankers and LNG carriers; several non–ice-class vessels have used the NSR in recent years, heightening concerns about crew safety, spill response, and environmental protection.
As the Polar Code approaches its 10th anniversary since entering into force on January 1, 2017, pressure is growing to evaluate its effectiveness and consider strengthening enforcement mechanisms in light of rising Arctic traffic.
In the end, MSC’s unequivocal “no” does not signal the end of Arctic shipping. China, South Korea, and others are likely to continue expanding their Arctic offerings.
But it does reinforce a clear divide: while interest in the Northern Sea Route is growing, it is set to remain a niche corridor, one that the world’s largest and most risk-averse container operators are choosing to leave off their maps.
