Of note is that Haijie’s service will bypass Russian ports entirely. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine an increasing share of Arctic shipping, including container operations, focused on service between Russia and China.
Last year 95 percent of all transit cargo via the Northern Sea Route flowed between the two countries.
China provides Arctic sea ice service
Further highlighting China’s interest in expanding shipping via the Arctic, the country’s North Sea Navigation Support Center of the Ministry of Transport has begun releasing a live Arctic sea ice monitoring product together with Tianjin Marine Center Meteorological Observatory.
The product greatly improves the spatial resolution of Arctic sea ice monitoring, identifies waters passable by ships, and provides more accurate data support for the safety of Arctic shipping routes.
It remains to be seen if Haijie Shipping Company will expand its offering in 2026 and if other operators will follow suit. Haijie Shipping launched a China-Europe Express to Wilhemshaven, Germany via the Suez Canal at the end of 2024 which takes 28 days.
The new Arctic routing will be 40 percent faster.
Shipping traffic via the Arctic may expand further in 2026. South Korea for its part has announced plans to enter Arctic shipping with pilot operations next summer. The government said it would establish a special Northern Sea Route division in the Ministry for Oceans and Fisheries.