Chinese Carrier With Red Sea History Now Plans a Russian Arctic Route
“The Houthi blockade remains a serious problem, but Sea Legend is now ready to strike out on another bold venture: a service through the icy Northern Sea Route (NSR). Beginning this September, Sea Legend will start a new Arctic route that directly connects China with Northern Europe, delivering cargo from east to west in just 18 days. The current standard via the Cape of Good Hope route is about 30-50 days, according to Freightos, meaning that Sea Legend’s route could realistically cut delivery times in half. For shippers, this is Sea Legend’s main business proposition: faster shipping times mean a faster and more responsive supply chain, making it easier to hit delivery deadlines, cut inventory costs and change product lineups. High-value, high-tech cargoes are high on the list of target markets, the company said.”
“The Northern Sea Route’s commercial development is a top priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has assigned responsibility for its expansion to state nuclear agency Rosatomflot (operator of Russia’s nuclear-powered icebreakers). Sino-Russian cooperation is a major driver of economic development on the route, both for shipping and for resource extraction. Chinese firms are key backers for the region’s biggest projects, like Arctic LNG 2, the sanctioned liquefaction terminal on the Gulf of Ob. ”