After Hormuz, China looks to the promise – and peril – of the Arctic’s ‘ice silk road’
Summary
China has launched the first regular shipping service through the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a shipping lane along Russia’s Arctic coast. This route can cut travel time between China and Europe by more than half but carries environmental and political risks.Key Facts
- The Northern Sea Route is about 5,500 km long and goes through the Arctic Circle.
- It is navigable during warmer months due to shrinking sea ice caused by climate change.
- China’s Sea Legend shipping company started a regular container service through this route in 2025.
- The NSR trip from Ningbo-Zhoushan (China) to Felixstowe (UK) takes about 18 days, versus over 40 days via the Suez Canal.
- The route is good for shipping sensitive cargo like electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar products.
- Russia controls and manages the route, including issuing permits and providing nuclear-powered icebreakers.
- Using the NSR can lower emissions by reducing sailing time, but risks like oil spills and black carbon emissions threaten the fragile Arctic environment.
- Heavy fuel oil has been banned in the Arctic since 2024, but some ships still face criticism for using it, as spills would be very hard to clean up.
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