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The Conversation
The Conversation
Edward Rhys Jones, DPhil Candidate in Area Studies, University of Oxford

China opens new Arctic trade route – but obstacles will prevent its wider use

Arctic China United States Russia Europe Felixstowe Japan United Kingdom
A cargo ship at the Anadyr Sea Port in north-eastern Russia. Andrei Stepanov / Shutterstock

Sea Legend, a Chinese shipping line, recently announced it was launching a regular container service between China and Europe via the Arctic. The announcement follows a trial crossing in 2025 that saw a container ship travel from the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in eastern China to Felixstowe in the UK in 20 days.

This will not have gone unnoticed in the west. While the Iran war has not halted shipping traffic through the Suez Canal, it has sharply elevated risks around the Red Sea, complicating travel between Europe and Asia. The Arctic’s northern sea route, which shaves up to 40% off the journey, could present a solution. But various obstacles remain.

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