The cargo ship Istanbul Bridge arrived at the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, early on October 23 local time, completing the European leg of the China-Europe Arctic Express route.
With the unloading of the final container, the voyage from China to Europe through the Arctic route reached its conclusion. According to the operator, the vessel will not return via the Arctic route but instead through the Suez Canal, taking into account regional loading demands.
The ship will next call at ports in Egypt and Turkey to load cargo and is expected to return to China in early December.
The Istanbul Bridge departed from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on September 23, taking the Northern Sea Route across the Arctic Ocean. It reached its first European port, Felixstowe in the United Kingdom, in 20 days, followed by stops in Hamburg, Germany (October 15), and Gdansk, Poland (October 19), before completing all loading and unloading operations in Rotterdam.
Compared with about 40 days via the Suez Canal and 50 days via the Cape of Good Hope, the Arctic route demonstrates a clear time advantage.
Li Xiaobin, Chief Operating Officer of Haijie Shipping (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd., which operates the service, said: “Next year, we plan to deploy more vessels capable of navigating icy waters, with the goal of establishing weekly or biweekly summer services. Based on this experience, we will improve ship standards and design, strengthen fleet development, and work toward year-round navigation on the China-Europe Arctic route.”
During the winter period, when the Arctic route is closed to navigation, the company plans to launch the “Eastern Europe Express,” combining sea transport via the Suez Canal with rail freight to deliver goods from China to Europe within 25 days, maintaining operational continuity between the two seasonal routes.
The China-Europe Arctic Express route, which runs along the Northern Sea Route — a new international shipping corridor linking East Asia and Europe — is a key component of the “Ice Silk Road,” designed to enhance global supply chains and foster trade cooperation along the route.
Haijie Shipping (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. is a maritime transport company incorporated in Hong Kong, engaged in international shipping operations. The company manages and operates container vessels on intercontinental routes and provides logistics and transport services between Asia and Europe.
