South Korea to trial container ship in Arctic in September
South Korea is set to conduct a trial voyage of a container ship along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in September. The 3,000 TEU vessel will depart from Busan and head to Rotterdam, marking South Korea’s strategic initiative to leverage the Arctic as a potential shipping shortcut to Europe.
This test journey was announced on January 8th by Acting Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Sung-beom. The announcement follows closely on the heels of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) establishing a dedicated NSR Development department just two weeks prior. This new department comprises officials from several key government ministries, including Trade, Industry and Energy; the Interior and Safety; Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Strategy and Finance; and Foreign Affairs, underscoring the national importance of this endeavor.