South Korea completes first Arctic commercial trial voyage

South Korea has completed its first commercial trial voyage to Europe through the Arctic, as President Lee Jae Myung pledged that future development of the route would comply with international norms and sanctions. The PanStar Acro returned to Busan on Sunday after a 50-day round trip, and Lee welcomed the vessel’s captain and crew at a ceremony on Tuesday. The ship called at Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk. The voyage tested the Northern Sea Route, which runs along Russia’s Arctic coast, as South Korea considers it as an additional option for shipping to Europe. Lee said the government would communicate with partners and address operational concerns while observing international sanctions principles. The trial demonstrated the route’s potential, but cargo figures highlighted a challenge in building a sustainable service. According to oceans ministry data cited by opposition lawmaker Kang Seungkyoo’s office, the ship departed with 737 twenty-foot equivalent units of export cargo, below its 1,300-TEU target. It returned with 1,743 TEU of empty containers and no imports. Lee acknowledged that securing cargo for return journeys after unloading in Europe remained an issue.