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The bulk carrier Gingo has become the first Capesize vessel to navigate the Northern Sea Route (NSR), according to Russian media reports.
Setting sail from the port of Murmansk in Russia, the ship took a 13-day journey eastwards to China. It carried a cargo of 164,600 tonnes of iron ore concentrate, marking the largest single shipment transported through the NSR. The vessel received assistance from two icebreakers during its voyage.
The Gingo is 169,159-dwt and has a draught of 17.8 meters. It departed Murmansk on August 18 and is bound for Qingdao.
Due to milder winter conditions and extended shipping season, vessel traffic on the NSR has been increasing. Russia is even considering year-round navigation through this route.
The NSR is gaining prominence due to global warming. The route runs from the Barents Sea, near Russia's border with Norway, to the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska. Ships sailing through the NSR need permission from Russian authorities.
The route is attractive to China because it offers a shortcut for exporting goods without relying on the Strait of Malacca. The NSR can save shipping companies up to 50% in distance compared to the Suez or Panama shipping lanes. The NSR can also reduce the voyage from Russia's Baltic ports to refiners in northern China by as much as two weeks.
Freight volume along the NSR has surged from 4 million tonnes in 2014 to 34 million tonnes in 2022, establishing itself as a primary transportation corridor for exports including oil, liquefied natural gas, mineral fertilizers, metals, and other commodities, said Russia's Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic.
Russia aims to boost the route's capacity to 100 million tonnes by 2026 and 200 million tonnes by 2030.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Emma Yang)
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