South Korea opens Arctic route with Europe

The South Korean container ship has completed the country's first commercial circular voyage to Europe via the Arctic. Reuters reports.

The PanStar Acro docked at Busan Port 50 days after the start of the voyage. The Arctic route could cut normal travel time by about a third.

President Lee Jae Myung has made Arctic shipping a priority. The authorities hope to launch scheduled flights by 2030 and turn Busan into a global maritime hub.

The project risks causing friction with Western allies seeking to isolate Russia. The route runs along the Russian Arctic coast, and Seoul has consulted with Moscow about sailing.

The test flight also revealed difficulties. Before sailing, PanStar reported that about 1,300 containers were needed, but the vessel left with a 737. Experts note that the value of the route will depend on a reliable schedule and additional costs.

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