President Lee Jae-myung stated that following the successful trial run of the Panstar Acro, which returned to Busan on October 11, "we will steadily prepare for the era of Arctic shipping based on this achievement."
On the same day, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter) under the title "South Korea Welcomes the Era of Arctic Shipping," saying, "We will elevate Busan and the southeastern region into a 'Southern Maritime Capital' and ensure that this new sea route leads to new growth for South Korea."
The Panstar Acro departed from Busan on August 22 and completed its trial run in the Arctic before returning to Busan around 8 a.m. on October 11.
President Lee noted, "This voyage shortened the one-way travel time by 10 days compared to the existing Suez Canal route," adding, "We were also able to accumulate experience and navigation data for our container ships in polar operations."
He concluded by expressing gratitude to the crew, trial run officials, and the public, saying, "You endured a long voyage, and I sincerely welcome your safe return."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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