China Launches First Scheduled Weekly Arctic Container Service to Europe

China’s Sealegend Shipping plans to launch the first scheduled weekly container shipping service between China and Europe via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) this summer, marking a significant step toward regular commercial container operations across the Arctic following last year’s record-setting transit.

The company plans eight sailings between Aug. 12 and Oct. 27 using a fleet of seven small- to medium-sized container ships, according to a published sailing schedule and company promotional material. The service follows the success of last year’s pioneering voyage by the Istanbul Bridge, which completed the journey from Ningbo to Felixstowe in about 20 days, setting what