KB News Desk
BUSAN — South Korea will launch its first pilot operation of a container ship through the Northeast Passage on Saturday, as the government steps up efforts to develop new Arctic shipping routes and assess their commercial potential.
The Panstar Acro, 2,758 twenty-foot equivalent units in size, operated by Panstar Line.com Co., will depart from Busan New Port for a 45-day round trip to Europe via the Arctic route. The vessel will sail through the Northeast Passage and call at Felixstowe in England, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Gdansk in Poland, before returning to Busan.
The voyage is part of the government’s initiative to secure new trade routes through Arctic shipping. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been preparing the operation with the public-private council for the revitalization of the Arctic route, launched in January.
The Korea Maritime Promotion Corp. and Korea Shipping Association selected Panstar Line.com as the operator through a public bidding process in May. Since then, the ministry and related organizations have worked with the company to secure the vessel and cargo, prepare the crew, arrange insurance and establish emergency response procedures.
The Panstar Acro is expected to enter the Arctic Ocean around Aug. 30 and complete its Arctic crossing by approximately Sept. 7. The Arctic section of the voyage is expected to cover about 6,400 kilometers and take roughly eight days on the Europe-bound route.
The vessel is scheduled to arrive at Felixstowe around Sept. 9, Rotterdam around Sept. 11 and Gdansk around Sept. 15. It is expected to return to Busan New Port around Oct. 5, although the route and schedule may change depending on weather and other conditions.
The ship will carry 837 TEUs of cargo, including about 737 TEUs of commercial goods such as chemical products, used vehicles and auto parts, along with 100 empty containers. The ministry will use the voyage to evaluate the route’s technical, environmental and commercial feasibility, as well as demand from shippers and logistics companies.
The voyage marks South Korea’s first container ship pilot operation through the Northeast Passage and the resumption of commercial operations on the route by a Korean shipping company for the first time since 2016.
The ministry plans to analyze the route’s sailing distance, travel time, fuel consumption and operating costs. It is also pursuing cooperation on the Northwest Passage.
On Aug. 5, the Ulsan Port Authority and Korea Maritime Promotion Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding with a Dutch shipping company experienced in polar navigation to share information and operational expertise and explore potential cargo demand for the Northwest Passage.
Lee Soo-ho, director general of the Arctic Route Promotion Headquarters at the ministry, said the pilot voyage would serve as the first practical test of the Northeast Passage using an actual vessel and commercial cargo.
“We will prioritize safety and compliance with international standards and manage the operation meticulously until the very end,” Lee said, adding that the government would continue preparing for Arctic shipping opportunities involving Korea’s shipping, shipbuilding, port and logistics industries.
