The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will commence South Korea's first trial voyage of a container ship on the Northeast Arctic Route starting August 22, embarking on a 45-day journey. The trial aims to assess the operational distance of the Northeast Arctic Route and gather empirical data to identify policy tasks.
According to the ministry on August 20, the 2,758 TEU container ship 'Fanstar Acro' from Fanstar Line will be deployed for this trial. The Acro will depart from Busan New Port and is scheduled to travel through the Northeast Arctic Route to Europe, making stops at Felixstowe in the UK, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Gdansk in Poland during the voyage.
Lee Soo-ho, head of the Arctic Route Promotion Headquarters at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, stated, "This is the first trial voyage of a container ship by our shipping company on the Northeast Arctic Route, and it marks the resumption of operations by our shipping company after 10 years since 2016. We have prepared for the voyage with safety as our top priority."
Since January, the ministry has been preparing for the trial voyage in collaboration with the private sector, aiming for an August to September launch. The Korea Maritime Promotion Corporation and the Korea Shipping Association selected Fanstar Line as the trial operator through a public recruitment process in May.
Following this, the ministry coordinated with the shipping company and relevant agencies to secure vessels and cargo, assemble crew members, obtain insurance, and establish emergency response systems. Additionally, discussions were completed with major related countries and agencies to fulfill the necessary administrative procedures for the voyage.
The Fanstar Acro is set to depart from Busan New Port on August 22, expected to enter the Arctic region around August 30, and pass through the Arctic waters around September 7. It is anticipated that the journey through the Arctic will take about eight days, covering approximately 6,400 km.
Lee emphasized, "Using the Northeast Arctic Route, the distance from Busan to Rotterdam is about 13,000 km, which is a reduction of approximately 7,000 km compared to the existing Suez Canal route. We will analyze the operational distance, duration, and fuel consumption compared to the existing route to gather economic data."
The Acro is scheduled to arrive at Felixstowe around September 9, then proceed to Rotterdam around September 11, and Gdansk around September 15. The total expected duration of the voyage is 45 days, with a return to Busan New Port anticipated around October 5.
The ministry plans to load 737 TEU of cargo, including chemical products, used cars, and auto parts, along with 100 empty containers, totaling 837 TEU. This will help assess the technical, environmental, and commercial viability of the Northeast Arctic Route and gauge demand from shippers and logistics companies.
The captain and navigators aboard the Fanstar Acro have completed specialized training for polar navigation, with an experienced navigator from the Araon assisting the captain as the chief mate.
The government has established a 24-hour communication system with the vessel to respond immediately to emergencies during the voyage. Additionally, international cooperation is being pursued to explore the potential of utilizing the Northwest Passage.
Lee concluded, "We will expand the options for our maritime logistics network, which transports 99.7% of our export and import logistics, and prepare a solid foundation for our shipbuilding, port, and logistics industries to be ready for the upcoming Arctic Route market."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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