According to consulting firm Alphaliner, a South Korean-flagged container ship with a capacity of 3,000 TEU is expected to conduct a trial voyage from Busan to Rotterdam this summer, transiting the Northern Sea Route (NSR).
This initiative is part of South Korea's long-term strategy to utilize the Arctic maritime route, which domestic studies anticipate will be commercially viable by 2030 as ice melts faster due to climate change.
South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced it will invest in developing ice-strengthened vessel prototypes and upgrade the two ports of Jinhae and Gwangyang to prepare for NSR shipping services over the next decade.
The plan is based on research from Pohang University, which concluded that the NSR could operate stably and be fully accessible by 2030. Based on this, the South Korean government expects to inject approximately 1,25 billion USD into the shipping industry. Additionally, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Chung Jae-soo stated that each ice-class vessel (a set of technical standards applied to ships designed for safe operation in icy waters) will receive an additional 7,6 million USD in support.
According to local sources, additional funds will also be allocated for technology research and development, including building new-generation research vessels capable of operating in icy regions and establishing specialized training programs for polar marine engineers.
However, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun noted that large-scale NSR operations could only resume once the conflict between Russia and Ukraine ends.
Currently, container shipping operations on the NSR are primarily carried out by Russian and Chinese companies. Alphaliner estimates that in 2025, approximately 15 container ship voyages will transit this route, the highest number to date, up from 11 voyages in 2024.
Alphaliner also stated that in the first half of this year, South Korea will establish a "maritime cluster" in the Southeast region, aiming to connect shipping companies, public agencies, and maritime courts.
Source: Seatrade Maritime News
