South Korea is planning its first trial voyage through the Arctic this week as the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global shipping, the country’s oceans ministry said. Environmental groups, however, have warned that increased shipping through the region could accelerate the melting of Arctic sea ice.
Global shipping has faced major disruptions following the war in the Middle East, which began after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The situation has pushed shipping companies and governments to look for alternative routes.
The trial follows the journey of the Chinese container ship “Dubai Tower,” which left the eastern Chinese port city of Ningbo for Europe this month. The ship traveled north through the Bering Strait before heading west along Russia’s Arctic coast.
The Northern Sea Route is only accessible during the part of the year when sea ice melts enough to allow ships to pass without icebreakers.
A spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said the trial voyage is currently expected to begin on the evening of Aug. 22, although the schedule could change depending on weather conditions, including typhoons.
The container ship will travel to Europe through the Arctic to test whether the route, which has become accessible because of melting sea ice, could be commercially viable.
South Korea’s Vice Oceans Minister Nam Jae-hon recently said the Arctic route is likely to become an alternative to shipping routes affected by conflicts in the Middle East.
Busan-based PanStar Line Dot Com has been selected to operate the trial using the container ship Panstar Acro, according to the ministry.
The ship will leave Busan and travel to Felixstowe in Britain, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Gdansk in Poland before returning to South Korea. The full journey is expected to take about 45 days, the ministry spokesman said.
The usual maritime route between Asia and Europe passes through the Suez Canal. However, the Arctic route could shorten the journey by about 7,000 kilometers and around 10 days, according to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
Nam said the Arctic route is becoming more attractive not only because of political risks along other routes but also because technological advances are improving its cost competitiveness.
South Korea has already taken steps to prepare for greater use of the Arctic route. A special law aimed at promoting Arctic shipping and related industries was passed in May.
Before China’s “Dubai Tower,” Danish shipping company Maersk was among the first major container carriers to test the route in 2018.
Environmental groups have warned that increased traffic along the shorter Northern Sea Route could contribute to further Arctic sea ice loss, which has already been worsened by global warming.
Major shipping companies, including France-based CMA CGM, Switzerland-headquartered MSC and Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd, have pledged to avoid shipping routes through the Arctic.
