Korean Container Ship Navigates Arctic Route... Hwang Jongwoo: "Confirmed Potential of a New Sea Route"

'Welcome Ceremony for Arctic Route Trial Voyage' Held in Busan on October 13
'Panstar Acro,' Which Departed on August 22, Returns After 50 Days
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "Analyzing Results and Preparing for Follow-Up Trial Voyages"

The container ship Panstar Acro, which departed on August 22 to explore the Arctic route connecting Asia and Europe by the shortest distance, returned to Busan Port on October 11. This marks the first time a Korean shipping company’s container ship has made a round trip between Korea and Europe via the Arctic route.

On October 13, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries held a welcome ceremony for the Panstar Acro at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, to mark its return after completing a round-trip trial voyage along the Arctic route and to recognize the hard work of its crew and other personnel.

The container ship Panstar Acro returned to Jaseongdae Pier at Busan Port on the 11th after completing 50 days of operations along the Arctic route. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The Panstar Acro departed Busan New Port at around 9 p.m. on August 22, sailed via the Northeast Passage, and reached Felixstowe, the United Kingdom, in 20 days and five hours. It then called at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and the Port of Gdansk in Poland in succession. After departing on September 12, it sailed back via the Northeast Passage and returned to Jaseongdae Pier at Busan Port on October 11, 50 days later. The distance from Busan to Rotterdam is approximately 13,000 km, of which about 6,400 km is through the Arctic Ocean.

An Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official said, "This trial voyage is significant because, despite the uncertainty of the polar environment and international affairs, the government and private sector worked together to verify the technical, environmental and commercial feasibility of the Arctic route using a vessel carrying actual export containers, and to establish a new option for our maritime logistics network." The official added, "Based on the experience and data gained from this voyage, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to prepare for follow-up trial voyages and commercial operations, and to continue pursuing the Arctic route as a long-term national initiative."

The Panstar Acro is a 2,758-TEU container ship, with one TEU equivalent to one 20-foot container. When it departed in August this year, it was carrying 737 TEU of export cargo, including chemical products, used cars and auto parts, as well as 837 TEU of empty containers. It unloaded and loaded cargo at its ports of call.

The Panstar Acro sailing in the Arctic Ocean. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The trial voyage confirmed that the Panstar Acro could complete the one-way trip from Busan to Rotterdam in 21 days and the round trip in 50 days, reducing the time required. The existing route from Busan to Rotterdam via the Suez Canal is approximately 20,000 km and usually takes around 30 days. The Arctic route is approximately 13,000 km, 35% shorter, and takes 21 days, cutting the voyage time by nine days.

Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "This trial voyage is a meaningful achievement because a container ship carrying Korea's export cargo actually traveled the Arctic route, confirming the potential of a new sea route for Korea. I am grateful to the crew who completed the voyage and to the personnel who supported them. We will build on this achievement in our next voyage and continue preparing to make the Arctic route a new opportunity for our economy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.