South Korea Plans First Arctic Container Ship Test Voyage via Russia’s Northern Sea Route South Korea is preparing its first-ever container ship voyage through Russia’s Northern Sea Route, testing whether Arctic shipping can reshape Asia–Europe trade. The trial highlights Seoul’s ambitions to turn Busan into an Arctic hub, despite sanctions risks, high insurance costs and lingering geopolitical uncertainty.
Russia’s Arctic Shipping Route Turns Into “Dark Fleet” Corridor Used by 100 Sanctioned Vessels One third of Arctic shipping traffic along the Northern Sea Route involves sanctioned vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet, a new report warns. The figures include 38 sanctioned oil tankers, often poorly maintained and insured and frequently without ice-classification. Russian officials have also stopped publishing data about activity on the route, further reducing available information and increasing risk.
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.
World’s Largest Container Shipping Company MSC Again Rules Out Arctic Shipping, As Chinese Companies Push Ahead The same week a Chinese container ship is attempting to make a record-setting Northern Sea Route transit from China to the UK in 18 days, European operator MSC reaffirmed its commitment to not ship via the Arctic. The company cited environmental concerns and lack of infrastructure as key reasons.
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.
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.
Russia to Earn $160bn in Taxes From Northern Sea Route by 2035, Arctic Region Accounts for 7.5 Percent of GDP New government figures highlight the critical role the Arctic plays in Russia’s economy. Projects along the main shipping corridor may generate massive tax revenues over the next decade and account for growing share of the country’s export and GDP.
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.
China-Russia Announce Plans for Five Ice-Capable Containerships for Year Round Arctic Service Russia and China's collaboration in the Arctic continues, now with new plans to build high ice-class containerships to begin year-round shipments on the Northern Sea Route. Though the details, including the size of the vessels and who will build them, remain scarce.
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.
Record-size Container Ship Sets Course for Arctic via Norwegian Coastline A massive container ship the length of three football fields traveled up the Norwegian coastline en route to China over the weekend. It is the latest sign of increasing Arctic traffic passing through the Norwegian and Barents Seas, including sanctioned and possibly underinsured “shadow fleet” vessels.
Safety Takes a Backseat as Russia’s LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operates in Arctic Without Permits As Russia continues to expand its liquefied natural gas shadow fleet to bypass sanctions, maritime safety in the Arctic is increasingly falling by the wayside. Several aging LNG vessels traveled through the Arctic without applying for or receiving Northern Sea Route permits, likely in an effort to obscure their illegitimate activities.
Record Season for LNG, Crude Oil, and Container Shipping Looms in Russian Arctic Shipping activity along Russia’s Northern Sea Route looks set for a flurry of activity this summer arising from growing LNG exports, transit shipments of crude oil, and the promise of a new series of large container ships traveling between Europe and China.
First Non-Ice Class Container Ship Receives Arctic Permit The combination of seasonally ice-free waters and turmoil along traditional trade routes is diverting vessels into the Arctic. The first non-ice class Panamax containership has now received a permit for the Northern Sea Route.
Northern Sea Route Saw Seven Containership Voyages in 2023, Including Controversial Chinese Container Ship Northern Sea Route shipping activity during the summer of 2023 included the first regular container service between Asia and Europe. But the novel service did not transpire without controversy as one of the vessels, ChinasNewNew Polar Bearis suspected of damaging the Balticconnector pipeline. Results of a Finnish request for inquiry with Chinese counterparts remain pending.
China Pushes Northern Sea Route Transit Cargo to New Record Strong demand for Russian crude oil in China resulted in record transit cargo on the Northern Sea Route in 2023. More than a dozen shipments delivered 1.5m tons of crude oil from the Baltic Sea to China through the Arctic. In total the route saw 2.1m tons of transit cargo, surpassing the previous high set in 2021.
China Pushes Northern Sea Route Transit Cargo to New Record Strong demand for Russian crude oil in China resulted in record transit cargo on the Northern Sea Route in 2023. More than a dozen shipments delivered 1.5m tons of crude oil from the Baltic Sea to China through the Arctic. In total the route saw 2.1m tons of transit cargo, surpassing the previous high set in 2021.
New Lifecycle Assessment for Greenhouse Gases from LNG Spells Bad News for Emissions from Arctic Projects Liquefied natural gas may not be as clean as previously thought, a new study finds. While liquefied gas is often heralded as a less dirty alternative to coal, its lifetime emissions exceed those from coal, the new data suggest. The report gives special emphasis to methane emissions from the transport of liquefied natural gas, a finding relevant to Arctic LNG projects.
New Lifecycle Assessment for Greenhouse Gases from LNG Spells Bad News for Emissions from Arctic Projects Liquefied natural gas may not be as clean as previously thought, a new study finds. While liquefied gas is often heralded as a less dirty alternative to coal, its lifetime emissions exceed those from coal, the new data suggest. The report gives special emphasis to methane emissions from the transport of liquefied natural gas, a finding relevant to Arctic LNG projects.
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.
Russia Sends Nuclear Fuel Across Arctic on Ship with History of Safety Violations Weeks after sending crude oil on non-ice class tankers through the Arctic, Russian authorities shipped nuclear fuel across the Northern Sea Route on a cargo ship not specialized in the transport of nuclear fuel. Ship records also show a host of safety deficiencies during past inspections. The nuclear fuel traveled from Murmansk to Pevek to resupply the floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov.
Chinese Container Ship Completes First Round Trip Voyage Across Arctic A Chinese container ship has completed a three-months round trip voyage from the Baltic Sea to China and back. It is the first step in establishing regular, albeit small-scale, container liner service utilizing Russia’s Northern Sea Route.
India Looking To Cooperate With Russia on Development of Arctic Northern Sea Route Following an initial high-level meeting between Indian and Russian officials in India in March of this year, representatives from two countries now met in Vladivostok to further discuss a deepening of cooperation in Arctic shipping and related economic activity.
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.
Russia Sends Oil Tanker Without Ice Protection Through Arctic For First Time In a sign of things to come Russia has sent the first non-ice class Aframax oil tanker into the Arctic. Hampered by Western sanctions a desperate Russia has decided to forgo long standing practices regarding ice-protection in an effort to reroute ever-larger amounts of crude oil to China, experts say.
Russian Government Vessel Continues to Follow US Coast Guard Icebreaker on Northern Sea Route Russian survey vesselAkademik Nemchinovsteamed from the port of Pevek toward USCGCHealyand has been following its track for the past 48 hours. The US icebreaker continues on its science mission sailing in the East Siberian Sea.
US Coast Guard Icebreaker Sails in Proximity to Russia’s Northern Sea Route A US science mission has taken Coast Guard icebreakerHealyinto the East Siberian Sea in proximity to cargo vessels transiting Russia’s Arctic waters. Automatic Identification System data suggest the vessel has entered what Russia considers the waters of its Northern Sea Route, though experts caution that it is too early to draw conclusions.
Gazprom Sends First-Ever Shipment of Baltic LNG to China via the Arctic Natural gas company Gazprom has become Russia’s second energy corporation to send liquefied natural gas to China via the Arctic. In contrast to Novatek’s shipments, which use gas produced within the Arctic, Gazprom’s shipment comes from the Portovaya liquefaction plant in the Baltic Sea. This is the first time that a company has shipped gas from outside the Arctic along the Northern Sea Route.
Chinese Container Ship Transits Arctic, More Oil Tankers and Massive Bulk Carrier Also En Route Shipping in Russia’s Arctic continues to reach new levels of activity. Last week the Northern Sea Route saw a container ship similar in size to theVenta Maerskduring its historic voyage in 2018. In addition, the largest-ever vessel to transit the Arctic, a massive Capesize bulk carrier, is en route from Russia to China as are two more Aframax oil tankers. Meanwhile a Chinese general cargo vessel is traveling in the opposite direction.
Dangerous Waters: Ukraine War Could Divert Oil Shipments from Black Sea to Arctic Ocean A looming tanker war in the Black Sea as part of the larger Ukraine conflict could elevate the strategic importance of Russia’s Northern Sea Route. The country has begun sending regular oil shipments to Asia via the Arctic; and additional volume could be re-routed that way, experts say.
Russian Oil Shipments Via Arctic Accelerate With Four More Tankers Now En Route to China Transit traffic on Russia’s Northern Sea Route could reach all-time highs this summer as Russia continues to dispatch crude oil tankers to China via the Arctic. In less than a month six vessels have departed for the country.
Russian Crude Oil Now Flowing To China Via Arctic Ocean Russia continues to reroute oil previously destined for Europe to Asia. Now, two tankers have traveled across the Arctic to China, thereby elevating the risk profile of Arctic shipping, experts say. Increased traffic means increased probability of an accident – with very high consequences.
World’s Largest LNG Storage Barge Approaches Bodø En Route to Russian Arctic Novatek’s long-awaited hub for liquefied natural gas is about to arrive in the Barents Sea. It is currently around 350 km to the southwest of Bodø. Meanwhile, new modules for Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 plant are being shipped from China via the Northern Sea Route. The company has also sent its first delivery of liquefied natural gas of the year to China along the route.
Northern Sea Route Sees Lots of Russian Traffic, But No International Transits in 2022 A new report on the Northern Sea Route shows stable traffic originating from the Russian Arctic, but also notes that international transit traffic on the route has declined sharply. In addition, very few non-Russian vessels now use the route with data showing that almost 90 percent of vessels on the route fly the Russian flag.
Russia to Begin Year-Round Shipping on Entire Northern Sea Route in 2024 Russian officials announced that year-round exports of liquified natural gas from the Arctic to Asia will begin early next year. A milestone for Novatek, the company has worked toward regular winter deliveries along the eastern part of the Northern Sea Route for the past five years.
MGIMO to Teach Chinese in Arkhangelsk For Development of NSR The Arctic Federal University in Arkhangelsk will introduce Chinese as a second foreign language in the student curriculum, with the help of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
Russia Says Northern Sea Route To Transport 270m tons by 2035 Traffic on the Northern Sea Route will grow exponentially over the coming decade according to latest figures by Russian officials. The next boost in volume will come as early as 2024 with tonnage doubling from 40m to 80m tons.
Lacking Own Satellite Coverage Russia Is Looking to China For Northern Sea Route Data Russian officials announced a host of new initiatives related to boosting traffic on the Northern Sea Route. Key measures include working with China for satellite data to optimize ice navigation on the route and partnering with Chinese and Turkish shipyards for the construction of future icebreakers.
Unusually Thick Sea Ice to Make for Challenging Shipping on Northern Sea Route This Summer Unusual amounts of multiyear ice in the Laptev and Siberian Sea could lead to difficult summer navigation along parts of Russia’s Northern Sea Route this summer, says the country’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
Impact of New EU Sanctions Targeting Russian Nuclear Icebreakers Will Be Limited New EU sanctions target Atomflot, the operator of Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet. The impact on the country’s ability to build additional icebreakers remains to be seen, say Arctic experts.
Russia Plans to Use Arctic River To Send Coal Shipments to Asia Coal from deep in the heart of Siberia could soon find its way to markets in Asia via the Yenisei River and Russia’s Northern Sea Route. The first shipments could happen as early as this summer.
LNG Carrier Completes Roundtrip Winter Voyage to China via NSR Arc7 LNG CarrierVladimir Voronincompletes a roundtrip voyage to China in just 42 days in the heart of winter highlighting how Russia’s goal of year-round exports to Asia is becoming increasingly feasible. A second LNG carrier,Boris Vilkitsky, is also currently on its return leg from China.
Russian Government Approves $1bn for Construction of 6th and 7th Arktika-class Nuclear Icebreakers Russia continues modernizing and expanding its fleet of powerful nuclear icebreakers in an effort to realize year-round shipping along the Northern Sea Route. With the sixth and seventh newArktika-class icebreakers Russia will operate up to a dozen nuclear icebreakers before the end of the decade.
Russia Launches New Nuclear Icebreaker as it Looks East for Northern Sea Route Shipping In a well-orchestrated ceremony, Russia raised the flag on the newly completed nuclear icebreakerUralwhile launching the completed hull of the sister shipYakutiainto the water nearby. With oil and gas exports shifting from Europe to Asia as a result of sanctions, Russia’s icebreaker fleet will be key to the country’s Arctic hydrocarbon strategy.
Russian Arctic Official: “We will Take Military Measures to Prevent Threats to Navigation Along the NSR” “Russia is taking all necessary military measures to prevent threats to civilian navigation along the Northern Sea Route”, says Russias Arctic Ambassador Nikolai Korchunov.
From Ukraine to the Arctic: Russia's Capabilities in the Region and the War's Impact on the North For the past decade, Russia has systematically expanded and strengthened its Arctic military through a combination of bases, airfields, and large-scale radar installations, as well as defensive and offensive weapons systems. How will the war in Ukraine affect Russia's capabilities in the region and what challenges do Norway and its allies face in the Arctic?
International Shipping on Northern Sea Route Collapses As Foreign Companies Stay Away For the first time in more than a decade the NSR will not see international transit traffic as operators avoid Russia as a result of sanctions. Could this open the door for a new Arctic route outside Russian waters?
