The new Chinese leader answers to the name of Yong Shen. A boat that is about to make history. It is the first container ship to sail from China to Europe via the Arctic, instead of following the southern route via the Suez Canal, thus saving two weeks of travel.
The 19-ton behemoth, owned by the state-owned Cosco Group, set sail from the port of Dalian on August 8 and is expected to land in Rotterdam, Holland, via the Bering Strait, on September 11. Thirty-five days of travel against the 48 normally used along the southern route, that of the Mediterranean.
For Chinese media, it is the cheapest option for shipments from Beijing to the Old Continent. On the Shanghai – Rotterdam leg, the Northern Passage is 2400 nautical miles shorter than the route via Suez.
"The Arctic route allows us to cut 12 to 15 days compared to traditional routes, which is why it has earned the name of 'golden route' in the maritime industry," Cosco said.
As it turns out, this is one of the side effects of global warming. The new adventure unfolds as the North Pole becomes busier and busier, with warmer weather making the Bering Strait navigable for longer periods.
This summer, Russia issued 393 passage permits in Siberian waters, against 46 in 2012 and 4 in 2010. The navigability window opens in July and closes in late November, when the concentration of ice effectively blocks the boats.
"Global warming is rapid and I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see ice-free summers in the next twenty years," said Mark Serreze, director of the US National Ice Data Center, interviewed by the Wall Street Journal.
“In the last 50 years, the Arctic temperatures have risen by 4 degrees Celsius – continues Serreze – while the global average is only one degree”.
China has never hidden its interest in the North Pole. In May, Beijing obtained "permanent observer" status at the Arctic Council, made up of 8 states with territories that fall within the region.
Meanwhile, shipping companies are waiting to see if the alternative is commercially viable. The answer, perhaps, will come in September in Rotterdam.
