Chinese Cargo Ship Races Through Arctic Sea and Into History

COSCO’s YONG SHENG was the first Chinese container ship to sail the Arctic Ocean and has now earned its place in history. The ship cut more than two weeks and 2,800 nautical miles off its transit by sailing the Bering Strait–Northwest Passage towards the Russian Arctic.

Normally vessels transiting to Europe from Asia sail through the Malacca Straits taking passage through the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean Sea and onto Europe. The conventional route takes about 45 days, but the Arctic route is approximately 27 days and only about 7,800 nautical miles.

The Arctic route can only be transited from July to November. COSCO has gained ongoing permission from Russia's Northern Sea Route Administration for another two sailings on the same route. It has also been allowed to hire Russian icebreaker assistance during modest ice conditions. COSCO is the sixth largest container ship company in the world and is operated by the Chinese Government.

In 2012, the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, “Snow Dragon,” was the first Chinese vessel to use the Northern Sea Route into the Barents Sea. This latest voyage will be followed by a September 15th sailing of a tanker transporting 37,000 tons of naphtha and operated by Hyundai Glovis Co. It will sail from Russia’s OAO NOVATEK bound for South Korea. OAO NOVATEK is Russia’s largest producer of natural gas and accounts for 90% of Russia’s production and 17% of the world’s gas. The tanker will cover 9,600 miles in 35 days to reach the port of Gwangyang. The route will save 10 days.