South Korean containership Panstar Arco has completed a demonstration voyage through the Northern Sea Route (NSR), reaching Europe after a 21-day passage from Busan to the UK.
The vessel arrived in Felixstowe on September 12 before continuing to Rotterdam, where it arrived a day later. The full voyage from Busan to Rotterdam took 22 days.
Panstar Arco left Busan on August 22, entered Arctic waters on August 31 and cleared the western end of the NSR on September 9. The voyage covered about 13,000 km, compared with around 20,000 km on the conventional route via the Suez Canal.
The 45,500 dwt containership carried 737 TEUs of cargo, including chemical products, used cars and auto parts. Its capacity is 2,758 TEU. The vessel sailed with less cargo than initially planned, reportedly because of a short booking period and uncertainty over the first Arctic voyage.
The passage also brought several navigational challenges. Near Wrangel Island in the Chukchi Sea, drifting ice reportedly blocked the route and forced the vessel to stop overnight. Strong winds and currents also affected the voyage.
Winds of up to 40 knots in the Laptev Sea forced Panstar Arco to reduce speed. The crew also carried out manoeuvres to avoid heavier ice near the Vilkitsky Strait.
Twenty crewmembers were aboard, including a Korean captain and chief engineer. An experienced polar navigator who previously served on the South Korean government icebreaker Araon also joined the voyage.
The demonstration aims to assess the NSR’s potential for commercial shipping and collect data on Arctic navigation. The project is also examining vessel and engine performance in low temperatures, hull behaviour and fuel consumption.
After Rotterdam, Panstar Arco is scheduled to call at Gdynia, Poland, on September 16 to handle additional cargo. It is then expected to begin the return voyage to South Korea and reach Busan on October 12.
The voyage forms part of South Korea’s efforts to assess regular commercial shipping between the country and Europe via the Arctic. South Korea previously conducted NSR trials in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
The country is now reportedly considering further demonstration voyages as it works towards a possible commercial service by 2030.
