The NSR stretches roughly 5,600 km along Russia’s Arctic coast, mostly through waters under its jurisdiction. The route relies on domestic port and navigation infrastructure. State atomic energy corporation Rosatom oversees its development and operates the world’s only nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet.
The PanStar Acro departed from Busan New Port on Saturday and will sail through the NSR before calling at Felixstowe in the UK, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Gdansk in Poland.
The ship is expected to reach Felixstowe in around 18 days. The journey between Busan and Rotterdam via the Arctic is around 13,000 km, 35% shorter than the roughly 20,000 km route via Suez, with South Korean estimates suggesting the NSR could cut around ten days from a typical Asia-Europe voyage.
According to Reuters, Western diplomats have raised concerns over South Korea’s plan, which involved consultations with Russia and permits for the ship’s passage. The agency cited a European diplomat as saying Western governments want to isolate Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, not pursue “engagement” with it.
There are questions over sanctions risks linked to payments for Russian navigation and other services. Seoul says consultations with relevant countries and agencies have been completed, and Korean media report that the sanctions risks have been resolved.
The country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has said it aims to establish a new trade corridor, with the voyage marking the country’s return to the Arctic after a decade-long hiatus and its first use of a container ship on the NSR.
South Korean companies conducted five trial voyages along the NSR between 2013 and 2016, but regular services did not follow due to limited cargo volumes and a less developed route. Russia has since significantly expanded its Arctic infrastructure and navigation capabilities.
Moscow has sought to turn the NSR from a corridor primarily serving its Arctic projects into a major international trade artery linking Asia and Europe. China has already launched a regular container service to Europe via the NSR, while India is considering sending its first cargo vessel along the route in 2027 and Japan has shown interest as well.
Earlier this month, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev linked growing demand for the NSR to the “persistently difficult situation” in the Persian Gulf. The Iran conflict has also fueled instability affecting Red Sea shipping, with Houthi attacks and threats around the Bab el-Mandeb strait prompting some operators to avoid the Suez Canal route.
South Korea intends to test the Northern Sea Route and prepares to dispatch its first container ship along this corridor. Earlier, Chinese authorities announced the organisation of regular freight shipments along the Northern Sea Route. Experts surveyed by NEWS.ru remain confident: following them, the Northern Sea Route will attract other players as well, while the West attempts to hinder Russia in the Arctic. What capacities the Northern Sea Route possesses, what benefits it yields for the Russian Federation already, and why this represents more than economics for Moscow.
South Korea plans to send the container vessel PanStar Acro from Busan to Europe via the Northern Sea Route to test the efficiency and feasibility of using this corridor. The voyage commencement is scheduled for 22 August, and along the transit route the vessel will call at Felixstowe in the United Kingdom, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Gdansk in Poland.
In the event of success, this marks the first commercial voyage by South Korea to Europe via the Arctic, and Seoul launches regular commercial carriage along the Northern Sea Route by 2030. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the country considers that the Arctic route can significantly shorten freight transit durations compared with passage through the Suez Canal.
On 19 August, a container ship from the People's Republic of China successfully navigated the Northern Sea Route, delivering automotive components to the port of Murmansk. Several days prior, the Chinese company Sealegend Shipping announced the launch of regular weekly freight services to Europe via the Northern Sea Route.
Former political adviser to the President of Russia, political scientist Sergey Stankevich, noted in a conversation with NEWS.ru that Beijing already derives substantial benefits from navigation along this corridor.
"In 2026, total cargo volume along the Northern Sea Route is expected to exceed 40 million tonnes, and the Sino Russian flow in the first half of the year has already surpassed 5 million tonnes. Koreans look at the example of China and feel envy. The Chinese enterprise Sea Legend launched a regular container service Ningbo to Europe via the Northern Sea Route in August. India also shows substantial, though so far platonic, interest. This resembles the formation of an entirely new transport corridor," he emphasised.
According to him, the benefit for Korea from participating in the corridor remains obvious.
"Here Seoul makes a strategic bet. From a geographical viewpoint, the advantage remains immense. A voyage from Busan to Rotterdam through the Suez Canal spans roughly 20,000 to 22,000 kilometres. The Northern Sea Route can reduce delivery time to Europe by roughly 35 to 40%," he underlined.
The Northern Sea Route represents a fairway extending roughly 5,600 kilometres along the Arctic coast of Russia across the Arctic Ocean. The water area of the Northern Sea Route divides into 28 zones and extends from the Kara Gate Strait near the Novaya Zemlya archipelago to Provideniya Bay in the Bering Strait. Functions of management and development of this logistics artery belong to the state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, whose leadership noted that the Northern Sea Route accommodates passages by all vessel types.
Political scientist and historian Aleksandr Antoshin noted that for Russia the Northern Sea Route constitutes a goldmine. "In an obvious manner, it offers maximum advantages in terms of logistics, and recently from the standpoint of safety as well. Unlike southern routes, on the Northern Sea Route no risk exists of encountering Houthis, Somali pirates, and other armed elements. In June 2022, information circulated regarding tax and other budgetary revenues from this corridor ranging between 13.5 and 16 trillion roubles, all flowing into the federal budget. Overall, in that same year, the investment potential of the Northern Sea Route stood at 35 trillion roubles up to 2035. Therefore, profits will grow further," he explained.
Adviser to the Governor of the Novosibirsk region Rostislav Antonov noted in turn that the Northern Sea Route involves more than freight carriage. In a global sense, this represents a project marking the comprehensive return of Russia to the Arctic, the interlocutor of NEWS.ru believes.
"This encompasses the construction of new port infrastructure, the development of the icebreaker fleet, capital injections, new employment, and the opening up of territories long considered marginal. For Russia, a unique position emerges here, because we alone, by virtue of our unique icebreaker fleet, can ensure full year round navigation along this corridor," he pointed out.
Threats facing the Northern Sea Route
According to Reuters, Seoul's plans to launch shipping along the Northern Sea Route caused dissatisfaction among Western diplomats. The agency notes that South Korean participation in corridor operations may generate friction with its partners.
Stankevich observes that understanding the importance of the Northern Sea Route requires evaluating the role of this corridor in global maritime logistics correctly.
"The Northern Sea Route truly begins transforming from a Russian commodity transit corridor into a strategically vital northern reserve artery between Asia and Europe. Military and logistical turmoil on the southern passage from Europe to Asia through Suez strengthens interest in the Northern Sea Route. For now, it serves rather as a reserve rather than a full alternative to the south. However, in the event of a full blockade of Suez and Hormuz, this corridor becomes indispensable," the expert explained.
In Stankevich's view, both the route itself and freight traffic along it remain relatively secure regarding potential pressure from the United States and other Western nations.
"The United States lacks legal grounds for interference, as nearly the entire Arctic passage traverses territorial waters of Russia. However, the Northern Sea Route terminates near the Bering Strait. Here sits the main American lever. The Bering Strait forms the sole maritime passage between the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. Americans understand clearly that in the event of military conflict involving the United States, the strait could face effective closure. Here, the stance of Russia becomes decisive for China and other users of the Northern Sea Route. As the largest nuclear power in the world, Russia can insist on an open passage regime in all instances when the Russian Federation itself does not wage war," he remarked.
Antoshin did not exclude that the United States might try to disrupt route development and foreign deployment through economic leverage. For example, Washington could introduce sanctions targeting vessels using the Northern Sea Route. Nevertheless, probability exists for more radical steps, the specialist allows.
"When discussing problems the United States could generate for us, I would consider the possibility of false flag operations and attempted strikes against Northern Sea Route infrastructure originating from Ukraine. This constitutes another reason why Ukraine requires complete demilitarisation and overall pacification," the political analyst believes.
How the Northern Sea Route turns into a critical Russian asset
Nevertheless, Russia prepares for any scenario. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted during a meeting with naval personnel in late July:
"We remain open to cooperation in the Arctic, but we shall undoubtedly defend our interests, alongside the Northern Sea Route, because the most efficient, economically viable passage, the Northern Sea Route, largely traverses either our territorial waters or the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation".
According to Antoshin, the Arctic transforms from a geostrategic reserve into a geostrategic asset for Russia.
"The South Korean initiative serves as an illustrative case in this context. That state does not count as friendly toward us, yet economic reality dictates terms, and Seoul holds an interest in expanding cooperation with us. The same applies to all of Southeast Asia. Consequently, Europe, once current instability concludes, will also wish to secure benefits from collaborating with Russia as custodian of the Northern Sea Route. Quite naturally, Russia will derive political preferences from this," the analyst explained.
Expanding transit along the Northern Sea Route, he emphasised, transforms this artery into a strong lever of influence for Russia across global affairs.
"We maintain an interest in having as many nations as possible deploy this route. Now South Korea resolves to transit it. I expect remaining friendly or unfriendly states will follow. Crucially, this represents our sovereign fairway rather than an international neutral corridor. It cannot face opening under international legal pressure for those whom Moscow chooses not to welcome there. Add to this gradual ice melting. Thus, over coming decades, the Northern Sea Route will become even more accessible. More nations will seek transit across it," the expert asserts.
Stankevich considers that the results of Moscow's efforts to develop the Northern Sea Route are visible already.
"The Northern Sea Route has already become an essential delivery conduit for Russian Arctic crude oil and liquefied natural gas to Chinese ports. One can state that an energy axis spanning Yamal and Taymyr to China, and potentially onward to both Koreas, has emerged. According to Reuters data, approximately 6 million barrels of Russian oil moved to Asia via the Northern Sea Route throughout 2026. China acts as the principal buyer. Thus, this represents established practice rather than theory," the political scientist concluded.
Reported by News of Russia, additional info by Russia Today.
