Northern Sea Route 2025 Season Concludes With Stable Transit Traffic Amid Challenging Ice Conditions The 2025 summer–autumn navigation season on Russia’s Northern Sea Route wrapped up with 103 transit voyages moving an estimated 3.2 million tons of cargo. While tanker traffic continued to dominate, bulk carriers and container ships posted notable gains, all against a backdrop of unfavorable ice conditions that limited the open-water window.
Ticking Clock: Arctic States Have Less Than a Fortnight to Act on Black Carbon and Polar Fuels The Arctic is warming four times faster than anywhere else on Earth - this is a warning sign for elsewhere on the planet. The shipping sector has been gifted an opportunity to cut black carbon emissions from shipping in the region, which would have a near-immediate positive impact. But time is tight, writes Dr. Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, in this op-ed.
How Greenland and Denmark Can Lead the Arctic Council Towards Cleaning up Arctic Shipping As the first round of this Autumn’s Arctic Council meetings kicks off, led by Greenland under the Kingdom of Denmark Chairship, the council must seize the opportunity to set out its priorities for the future health and biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean, the people that depend on it, and global climate systems that it helps regulate, writes Dr. Sian Prior in the Clean Arctic Alliance in this op-ed.
How Greenland and Denmark Can Lead the Arctic Council Towards Cleaning up Arctic Shipping As the first round of this Autumn’s Arctic Council meetings kicks off, led by Greenland under the Kingdom of Denmark Chairship, the council must seize the opportunity to set out its priorities for the future health and biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean, the people that depend on it, and global climate systems that it helps regulate, writes Dr. Sian Prior in the Clean Arctic Alliance in this op-ed.
How Greenland and Denmark Can Lead the Arctic Council Towards Cleaning up Arctic Shipping As the first round of this Autumn’s Arctic Council meetings kicks off, led by Greenland under the Kingdom of Denmark Chairship, the council must seize the opportunity to set out its priorities for the future health and biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean, the people that depend on it, and global climate systems that it helps regulate, writes Dr. Sian Prior in the Clean Arctic Alliance in this op-ed.
South Korea to Subsidize Construction of Ice-class Vessels and Expand Port in Support of Arctic Shipping South Korea announced substantial budget increases to support expansion of the port of Busan, readying it for future Arctic traffic and subsidizing domestic construction of ice-class ships. Capturing the promise of growing Arctic shipping traffic is part of efforts to revitalize the country’s southern industrial region.
Deepening Russia-China Relations Continue to Drive Oil, Gas, and Container Traffic Along Arctic Shipping Lane Arctic transit shipping continues to be dominated by Russian-Chinese economic ties, a new CHNL analysis shows. Though an upcoming expansion of container service will bring Western European ports into the mix.
Knowledge Needs for Navigating the Central Arctic Ocean Op-ed: The Central Arctic Ocean is becoming more accessible for shipping. The ability to navigate at the top of the globe presents new opportunities, risks, and uncertainties. We need more transdisciplinary research to develop proactive responses to shipping growth, writes Julia Olsen, Associate Professor at Nord University.
China Launches 18-Day Arctic Express Containership Route To Europe With Stops in UK, Germany, Poland A Chinese shipping company is set to launch the first liner-type container shipping route via the Arctic. The service will begin in September connecting three ports in China to four destinations in Western Europe. The country’s Ministry of Transport has begun to release live sea ice monitoring to improve safety for Arctic shipping.
South Korea To Enter Arctic Shipping With Pilot Operations During Summer 2026 South Korea will establish a dedicated Arctic shipping division within its new government and launch pilot operations next summer. The plans follow up on statements during President Lee’s election campaign, during which he suggested using Arctic shipping to economically revive the country’s southern ports.
Urgent Calls for IMO to Cut Black Carbon Emissions as Arctic Shipping Traffic Doubles Despite a partial ban on heavy fuels oils enacted in 2024 black carbon emissions from Arctic shipping continue to grow. A new report now calls for urgent action by the IMO to curb the harmful particulates and switch to cleaner, less polluting fuels.
US Government Investigates Strategic Importance of Northern Sea Route as Part of Study on Maritime Chokepoints The U.S. government’s Federal Maritime Commission has initiated an investigation of global maritime chokepoints. In addition to more traditional passages like the Suez Canal, it has also included the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route in the upcoming study. According to the FMC the route has the potential to reshape global trade patterns.
Navigating the Future of Polar Shipping: Key Insights from the IMO-Norway Maritime Seminar In January, leading experts, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders gathered in London for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Norway’s Arctic Council ChairshipPolar Maritime Seminar. Researchers Alina Kovalenko and Michaela Coote have compiled some key takeaways from the session.
LNG Carriers, Oil Tankers and Container Ships Race to Beat the Winter Ice on the Northern Sea Route With an unusually early return of winter sea ice shipping for low ice-class vessels will come to a halt on Russia’s Northern Sea Route in the coming days, at least officially. Some cargo, including strategically important modules for Arctic LNG 2 will continue to flow in violation of Russia’s own safety rules.
New Report: Busy Summer for Arctic Shipping on Russia’s Northern Sea Route Traffic between Russia and China continues to be the driver for Arctic transit shipping traffic on the Northern Sea Route, a new report by Center for High North Logistics shows. Crude oil, coal, and iron ore are flowing from Russia to China, while container shipping is occurring almost equally in both directions.
Arctic Whales Impacted by Continued Increase in Maritime Traffic Marine vessel traffic in the Arctic is increasing and often overlaps with Arctic whale ranges, say researchers. Due to Arctic industrialization and ice-free waters, narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales are increasingly being exposed to impactful activities.
Russia Inks Deal with Dubai’s DP World To Develop Arctic Container Shipping A joint venture with Emirati logistics company DP World is the latest sign that Russia is looking for new partners to push ahead with the development of its Arctic shipping routes. At the same time, new forecasts suggest Western sanctions may negatively impact shipping volumes on the Northern Sea Route.
Polar Code May Need Updating as Arctic Shipping Increases New Study Concludes With more ships venturing across the Arctic, especially in marginal conditions during winter and spring, Polar Code rules may have to be expanded, a new report suggests. Shipping experts also caution that Russia may not be enforcing the existing rules as it sends a growing number of vessels through its Arctic waters.
Arctic Port of Tiksi Opens to Foreign Vessels To Spur Investments along NSR Russia continues to bank on the development of its Northern Sea Route for future economic prosperity. By designating Tiksi an “international port” it hopes to create a new cargo hub along the route.
IMO Again Fails to Act on Black Carbon Emissions in Arctic As Arctic shipping continues to increase so do emissions from maritime transport. Over the past five years black carbon emissions in the Arctic have more than doubled. Hopes to establish binding regulations to reduce this type of pollutant contributing to global warming were dashed this week.
IMO Again Fails to Act on Black Carbon Emissions in Arctic As Arctic shipping continues to increase so do emissions from maritime transport. Over the past five years black carbon emissions in the Arctic have more than doubled. Hopes to establish binding regulations to reduce this type of pollutant contributing to global warming were dashed this week.
New Study Calculates Risk of Vessels Becoming Stuck in Arctic Sea Ice A new study sheds light on some of the risks associated with Arctic shipping finding that vessels with lower ice-classes are up to 20 times more likely to become stuck in sea ice along Russia’s Northern Sea Route than vessels with higher levels of protection. The study’s authors hope that their work will improve safety of navigation in the Arctic.
Northern Sea Route Transit Traffic Remains Modest As Arctic shipping activity is increasing, transit traffic on the Northern Sea Route has not taken off, contrary to past predictions.
Russia Begins Construction on Fifth Nuclear Icebreaker as Arctic Sees Record Shipping Traffic Shipping activity in the Arctic continues to grow unabated even as shipping traffic in other parts of the world saw declining volumes as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Russia’s Northern Sea Route saw record cargo volume and transits and the country began construction on another nuclear icebreaker, the fifth of theArktika-class.
Proposed Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban Ineffective New Study Warns Just three months before the International Maritime Organization will finalize a ban on the carriage and use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic, new research suggests that the proposed regulation would be highly ineffective at reducing heavy fuel oil use and Black Carbon emissions in the Arctic.
IMO Moves Forward with Ban of Arctic HFO But Exempts Some Vessels Until 2029 The IMO agreed on a draft regulation which would phase out the use and carriage of HFO in the Arctic starting in 2024. Environmental groups criticize loopholes which delay the ban until 2029 for Arctic-flagged vessels.
IMO Mandate For Low Sulphur Fuel Results in High Black Carbon Emissions Endangering Arctic In an effort to reduce sulphur emissions in marine transport new rules require a switch from heavy fuel oil to very low sulphur fuel oil. Now scientists and environmentalists are sounding the alarm as this new type of fuel can unexpectedly result in high levels of black carbon – a pollutant especially harmful to the Arctic environment.
Rosatom To Invest $7bn in Arctic Shipping to Compete with Suez Canal Russia’s Rosatom Group plans to spend $7 billion to become one of the world’s largest container shipping operators. The company aims to offer container liner service along the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route (NSR), a shortcut between Asia and Europe, competing with the Suez Canal.
Expedition Cruise Operators Formalize Ban on Dirty Heavy Fuel Oil in the Arctic While the IMO has not been successful in its attempts, expedition cruise operators have now formalized a self-imposed ban on the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic. Environmental organizations praise the decision.
Six New Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships to be Affiliated in the Inuit Nunangat The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is affiliating six new Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships to regions in the Inuit Nunangat.
Iceland Invests in Arctic Shipping With Development of Finnafjord Deep-Water Port German port operator Bremenport and its Icelandic partners signed an agreement to begin construction of the Finnafjord deep-water port and industrial site. With the harbor Iceland hopes to position itself as a central hub for growing shipping traffic in the Arctic.
European Union Adopts Ban on Fishing in the Arctic The European Union has ratified an agreement to prevent unregulated fishing in the high seas of Arctic and joins nine countries in an effort to protect the Central Arctic Ocean.
Kazakhstan Looks To the Arctic For a New Trade Route Kazakhstan aims to use the vast Ob’-Irtysh river system to gain access the world’s oceans via the Arctic port of Sabetta. Russian President Putin and Kazakh President Nazarbayev are scheduled to discuss the project this Fall in Omsk.
East Siberian Sea Most Dangerous for Arctic Shipping The risk for ship accidents varies across different Arctic seas. The East Siberian Sea has been found to be most dangerous for ships.
Yamal LNG Carrier Boris Vilkitsky In Gross Violation of Safety Rules on NSR The LNG Carrier Boris Vilkitsky, operated by Dynagas LNG Partners, a joint venture by Dynagas, Sinotrans, and China LNG Shipping, entered Northern Sea Route last week in violation of the Rules of Navigation. Safety concerns on the route abound in the light of nearly 100 violations in 2017 alone. Will Russian authorities act to ensure safety along the route?
US and Russia Propose Two-Way Shipping Routes in Bering Sea The United States and Russia jointly propose a routing system for vessels passing through the Bering Strait and Bering Sea.
Shipping Traffic on Northern Sea Route Grows by 30 Percent Shipping traffic in Russia’s Arctic waters along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) continued to grow in 2016. Cargo volume on the NSR increased by 33 percent.
