South Korea Completes Arctic Shipping Trial

South Korea’s PanStar Acro returned to Busan on October 11 after completing a trial round trip to Europe through the Arctic, testing a route officials say could shorten shipping times compared with the Suez Canal route. The vessel departed on August 22 and sailed the Northern Sea Route along Russia’s Arctic coast. It called at Felixstowe in Britain, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Gdansk in Poland before returning to South Korea. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said the ship docked at Jaseongdae Pier in Busan Port. Reuters reported that the voyage took 50 days. President Lee Jae Myung said the Arctic journey shortened one-way sailing time by 10 days compared with the conventional Suez route. The ministry also said the round trip took less time than the conventional route. The trial’s reported time advantage is an official comparison; the available accounts do not specify a baseline Suez voyage or schedule. Lee said the voyage gave South Korea experience operating a container ship in polar waters and produced navigational data. He described the trial as preparation for a period in which Arctic shipping routes may become more prominent.