China Europe Arctic Express arrives in the UK, opening up a new maritime trade channel between China and Europe

Hangzhou, October 14 (Xinhua) — According to the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Marine Economic Development on October 14, the “Istanbul Bridge” cargo ship, which made its maiden voyage from Ningbo Zhoushan Port on September 23, arrived at the Port of Frixtor in the UK on the 13th local time, marking the successful navigation of the world’s first China Europe Arctic Container Express (referred to as the “China Europe Arctic Express”).
The China Europe Arctic Express is the world’s first container route specifically designed for cross-border e-commerce and high value-added goods that passes through the Arctic. This route is a seasonal waterway that takes the Arctic Northeast Passage directly to Europe, ensuring the safety of the third channel of the China Europe supply chain.
Previously, the “Istanbul Bridge” departed from Zhoushan Port in Ningbo, China on September 23 after receiving goods in Qingdao, Shanghai, and Ningbo, the three major ports in East China. During the preset passage period, the ship passed safely on the highway with calm winds and waves, and left the European side of the Arctic Channel in just 15 days. However, it encountered severe weather conditions in the North Atlantic and slowed down its voyage. Finally, it arrived at the first unloading port in the UK, Fleasto Port, two days later than originally planned.
Compared with the “25+days” of the China Europe freight train, the “40+days” of the Suez Canal route, and the “50+days” of the current route that bypasses the Cape of Good Hope in Africa due to the Red Sea crisis, the efficiency of China Europe Arctic Express transportation is highly competitive in international trade. It is reported that thanks to the fast delivery time of this route, the inventory of enterprise business can be significantly reduced by 40%, effectively reducing the cost of capital occupation for enterprises. The carbon emissions of this route are reduced by 30% compared to the Suez Canal route and 50% compared to the aforementioned detour route around Cape of Good Hope.
The cargo carried by the “Istanbul Bridge” this time is mainly energy storage cabinets and cross-border e-commerce goods, which require high delivery time. The efficient characteristics of the China Europe Arctic Express meet this demand. The sea conditions and temperature of the route are suitable for the transportation of thermal sensitive goods and goods with high timeliness requirements. It will provide a faster and low-carbon international logistics choice for China’s high-end manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, new energy and other industries.