Chinese Container Ship Becomes Largest to Travel Through Arctic

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) –

Hong Kong-flagged and owned container ship NewNew Star has become the largest non-ice class box ship to travel across the Arctic. 

The 3,534 TEU vessel departed from Nansha in southern China on August 22 with destination St. Petersburg. The vessel passed through the Bering Strait and entered Russia’s Northern Sea Route on September 4.

With a gross tonnage of 35,975 tonnes across a length of 231 meters it surpasses all previous containerships in the Arctic in size. It also became one of the first box ships without any ice protection to attempt the Arctic transit.

The vessel’s owner, Yangpu NewNew Shipping Company, has previously connected ports in China and Russia via the Arctic using a number of smaller ice-capable containerships. NewNew Star is the company’s largest vessel and part of its effort to establish routine summer-season liner service to Arkhangelsk and St. Petersburg.

Yangpu’s fleet of eight vessels ranges in size from 1,220 to 3,534 TEU and includes the NewNew Polar Bear suspected of damaging the Balticconnector natural gas pipeline in the Gulf of Finland by dragging its anchor in October 2023.

During 2023 Yangpu completed seven transits of the Arctic with four different vessels. For this summer and fall it aims to complete a dozen trips and with three months left in ice-free shipping season it appears on track to achieve its goal.

Its vessels NewNew Moon, Xin Xin Hai 1, Xin Xin Hai 2, Xin Xin Shan have all received permits for the route with some already completing several voyages.

NewNew Moon is sailing around a week ahead of NewNew Star departing Tianjin on August 12. It is currently passing through the East Siberian Sea.

Meanwhile, Xin Xin Hai 1 is finishing an eastbound voyage with destination of Rizhao, China while Xin Xin Hai 2 is already completing its second transit connecting Arkhangelsk with Tianjin as part of a return trip. Xin Xin Shan also completed its initial routing to Arkhangelsk.

NewNew Star may soon be surpassed in size by Panamax vessel Flying Fish 1 also holding an Arctic permit and currently docked in St. Petersburg. With 4,890 TEU it would represent the first Arctic voyage of a Panamax vessel.

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