In fifty days from South Korea to Europe and back again with a gigantic container ship. That was long impossible, but has now been achieved.
The 212 meter long and 33 meter wide Panstar Acro departed on August 22 from Busan, a port city in South Korea. Now, fifty days later, the ship has returned after calling at several European ports, including Rotterdam on September 11.
This was made possible by choosing a route that until a few years ago was impossible for this type of container ship without an icebreaker. The Panstar Acro sailed as the first South Korean container ship to and from Europe via the so-called Northern Sea Route. That is along northern Russia all the way around Russia.
Eerder nog onmogelijk
The distance is about half as long as the route through the Suez Canal. That usual route has become more dangerous in recent years due to piracy off the coast of Somalia and recently attacks by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen.
The northern route has emerged now due to the effects of climate change. Until a few years ago it was impossible for large ships to sail so far north. The sea was dangerous because of ice floes and large parts were only navigable behind an expensive icebreaker that plowed very slowly through the ice.
But the Panstar Acro completed the route without the help of icebreakers and the average speed was almost equal to that of the route via the Suez Canal.
Reguliere verbinding prioriteit
Besides the South Korean ship, in 2026 three other ships took the direct route between Asia and Europe, all three from China. Last year there was one, according to figures from CHNL, the research and knowledge center in Norway focusing on transport, logistics and economic developments in the High North.
The northern route has been designated a priority by the South Korean president. The country hopes to establish regular connections from 2030. The voyage is therefore celebrated as a huge success in South Korea.
For now, the route is only navigable for a few months at the end of summer, when there is little ice.
But there are major concerns about the environmental impact. Critics point out that ships sailing near the ice areas emit soot. When these black particles settle on polar ice and snow, it will melt even faster than it already does. Biologists also fear the consequences for underwater life because ships make a lot of noise which may affect fish and marine mammals.
There are also geopolitical consequences. It is no secret that President Putin watches the new routes with great interest, as they partly pass through Russian waters.
The new shipping may contribute to Russia becoming less isolated in multiple ways. Especially in the West, this is something not everyone is happy about.
Commercieel interessant
Finally, the question is when the route will also become commercially interesting. The Panstar Acro carried far fewer containers on board than was expected beforehand. This may indicate that shippers are still cautious. Higher insurance costs play a role, among other things due to uncertainty about the reliability of the route.
That very reliability is crucial for many companies. That the ship this time passed through the Northern Sea Route without problems does not mean it will succeed every year.
The trial voyage shows that the Northern Sea Route is technically possible, but whether it will become a full-fledged alternative to the route through the Suez Canal remains to be seen.