According to a report by Reuters on August 20th, South Korea will send a container ship this Saturday through the Arctic to test the commercial viability of shipping routes through the Arctic. If the voyage is successful, it will be South Korea's first commercial voyage from the Arctic to Europe. This would make South Korea one of the few countries with shipping companies that have tested or operated freight services on this route, alongside China and Russia.
South Korean container ship operator PanStar announced that its vessel “PanStar Acro” will depart from Busan Port and travel northward, stopping in Felixstowe, England, Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Gdańsk, Poland before returning. The expected voyage will take 40 to 45 days. An anonymous official from the group said, “The voyage is scheduled to take place in September, when Arctic sea ice is at its lowest level of the year, making navigation safer.”
According to reports, South Korean President Li Jae-myung has prioritized Arctic shipping as a priority. The South Korean side believes that this move will help turn Busan Port in the southeast to a global shipping hub, and they are striving to make the Arctic route a regular trade channel by 2030.
However, since Seoul needs to negotiate with Russia regarding this and obtain navigation permits, this move may lead to friction with Western allies.
Western diplomats are dissatisfied with South Korea's plans. A European diplomat said, "We want to isolate Russia and do not want to have any contact with Russia." He added that he has expressed these concerns to South Korea.
Some Arctic shipping experts point out that if Korean vessels encounter problems during their voyage, such as getting stuck in ice, and seek help from Russia, Korea may also risk violating Western sanctions. Neither the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries nor the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have responded to this issue yet.
According to reports, PanStar obtained the qualification for this trial voyage through a government bidding process. The company has purchased a 2700 TEU container ship and is converting it into a polar navigation vessel. The ship is equipped with 20 crew members from South Korea and Indonesia.
The company told Reuters that it is seeking at least 1,300 standard containers for goods such as automotive parts, food, and cosmetics. It also intends to receive cargo from China and Japan, with Japanese customers having shown interest.
A PanStar official stated that China has gained a head start on this route, making the Korean trial flight even more urgent. 'If Korea wants to achieve its national goal of regular commercial flight operations by 2030, it must start accumulating operational experience and data from now on—things that we did not have before.'
