By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) –
Russia’s main Arctic shipping route is slated to see its first Panamax container vessel this year. The 4,890-TEU box ship, Flying Fish 1, received a permit to transit the country’s Northern Sea Route this summer.
Flying Fish 1 would be the first Panamax container vessel to travel across the Arctic, nearly doubling the previous highpoint set by the 3,600-TEU Venta Maersk in 2018.
The 66,781-dwt vessel provides service as part of Safetrans Line’s Trans-Russia liner loop between St. Petersburg and destinations in China. The vessel looks set to become part of the nascent China-Russia box trade via the Arctic.
The Arctic route allows vessels to avoid the ongoing conflict areas in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden without detouring via Cape Horn.
During summer 2023, Chinese company NewNew Shipping, sent four feedermax ships through the Arctic completing seven voyages between July and December. The shipper expects to expand its offering to a dozen voyages this summer.
One of NewNew Shipping’s vessels, NewNew Polar Bear, was involved in damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and two subsea telecoms cables between Estonia and Finland.
Safetrans Line acquired the 24-year old Flying Fish 1 in October 2023. Its Ice-1 ice class allows it to navigate all sectors of the Northern Sea Route independently without icebreaker escort in ice-free and light ice conditions between July and October. The permit details suggest a planned round trip voyage between early August and October.
While thick sea ice continues to dominate the route during winter and spring, even non-ice class now routinely transit the route during the summer months. Last summer saw the first-ever Capesize bulker, the 169,159-dwt Gingo, as well as multiple Suezmax oil tankers venture into the Arctic.
Across fourteen voyages Russia sent 1.5 million barrels of crude to China, including multiple trips by non-ice class tankers.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
Russia has conducted two dark ship-to-ship (STS) transfers involving oil cargoes that traveled through the Northern Sea Route, highlighting the increasingly complex logistics being used to move Russian crude to Asian markets via the Arctic.
Dutch general cargo vessel Thamesborg has safely completed its first transit of Canada’s Northwest Passage since running aground on an uncharted shoal in the route last year, with the vessel passing within a few nautical miles of the site of the accident.
South Korea will flag off on Saturday a container ship bound for Europe via the Arctic, testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially viable, but risking friction with Western allies, as the voyage requires Russian cooperation.
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
