China has established the first scheduled commercial transit through the Northern Sea Route, with shipping company Sea Legend launching a regular container service from Ningbo-Zhoushan to Felixstowe in the UK. The journey can take as little as 18 days, compared with more than 40 days through the Suez Canal.
The 5,500km route follows Russia’s northern coast and is navigable mainly during warmer months. Its shorter sailing time could benefit some cargoes, but environmental hazards, high costs, political risks and limited rescue capacity mean it is not currently a replacement for the Suez Canal or the Strait of Hormuz.
What the new service changes
Sea Legend conducted a pilot voyage in 2025 before beginning regular container operations. The route is particularly suited to temperature-sensitive cargo, including electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar products, sectors in which China is a major exporter.
Most vessels require escort by nuclear-powered icebreakers. Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom issues navigation permits, oversees shipping along the route and provides the icebreakers needed for many transits.
Why the Arctic route is attracting attention
Interest has grown as disruptions and political tensions have highlighted the vulnerability of established trade routes. Japan, South Korea and India have expressed interest in using the Northern Sea Route, while China has promoted cooperation with Russia on Arctic shipping and a “polar Silk Road” since 2017.
Shrinking summer sea ice has widened the period during which the route can be navigated. A Russian LNG transporter began an early transit in May, and ship-watchers recently observed a convoy of Russian tankers taking an unusually northern route.
The environmental and political costs
Sea Legend says the shorter voyage could roughly halve emissions, but experts warn that this benefit could be erased by the route’s environmental risks. Heavy fuel oil is especially dangerous in the Arctic: spills are difficult to clean, break down slowly in cold conditions and can become almost impossible to remove after being trapped in ice.
Heavy fuel oil can also produce black carbon, which reduces the Arctic’s reflectivity and increases the amount of sunlight absorbed by the region. The route’s remoteness means specialist recovery teams could take weeks to reach a spill, while sanctions against Russia could complicate rescue operations.
Why it is not yet a substitute for Suez or Hormuz
Russia controls much of the Northern Sea Route, which largely lies within its exclusive economic zone. Safety concerns, a short sailing season, high operating costs and sanctions exposure continue to limit its appeal to international shipping companies.
The source report says much of the route’s current traffic involves Russia’s shadow fleet: tankers that may operate without insurance or proper regulatory oversight to evade sanctions. A 2025 Bellona Environmental Foundation report counted 100 internationally sanctioned ships, nearly a third of the cargo vessels using the route at that time.
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