Shortcut through ice

South Korean ship returns after successful journey across Arctic waters

SEOUL: A South Korean container ship returned on Sunday from a trial voyage through the Arctic, testing an alternative route opened by melting sea ice as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global shipping.

The “PanStar Acro” made the round trip to Europe in less time than the conventional route through the Suez Canal, officials said, but the initiative has drawn concerns that increased traffic could accelerate Arctic ice loss.

The Arctic route could also expose operators to sanctions-related risks because it runs along Russia’s northern coast.

“The ‘PanStar Acro’, which embarked on a trial voyage along the Arctic shipping route on August 22, docked at Jaseongdae Pier in Busan Port,” the South Korean oceans and fisheries ministry said in a statement to AFP.

The vessel sailed through the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route before making port calls at Felixstowe in Britain, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Gdansk in Poland, and returning via the same route.

President Lee Jae Myung hailed the successful voyage, saying it “shortened the one-way sailing time by 10 days compared with the conventional route via the Suez Canal”.

“It also allowed us to gain valuable experience operating a South Korean container ship in polar waters and to collect navigational data,” Lee said on X.

The Middle East conflict, sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has roiled global shipping, prompting governments and operators to explore alternative routes.

Environmental advocates, however, warn that expanded commercial shipping along the Northern Sea Route could threaten the fragile Arctic ecosystem.

Major shipping companies, including CMA-CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd, have pledged to avoid Arctic routes, citing environmental concerns.

The Northern Sea Route is generally more accessible during the warmer months, when reduced sea ice makes navigation easier, although ice conditions remain unpredictable and some vessels still require icebreaker assistance.

Without making any reference to the the environmental concerns, Lee said the successful trial mission would help his country “prepare for the era of Arctic shipping routes”.

“We will transform Busan and the southeastern region into a ‘southern maritime capital region’ and ensure that this new sea route becomes a new engine of growth,” he said. – AFP