21 Days from Busan to the United Kingdom: Korean Container Ship Reaches Europe via the Northern Sea Route

[Financial News] A Korean container ship that left Busan for the Arctic Ocean reached the United Kingdom after 21 days. Although it encountered difficulties caused by floating ice early in the voyage, it crossed the Arctic Ocean and arrived at its first European port of call.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said on the 12th that PanStar Acro, the vessel conducting the trial voyage along the Northern Sea Route, entered the Port of Felixstowe at around 5 a.m. Korea time that day.
It had been 21 days since the ship departed Busan on August 22. This was the first trial voyage along the Northern Sea Route by a Korean container ship.
Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean was the main variable during the voyage. After entering the Arctic Ocean on August 31, PanStar Acro initially experienced difficulties navigating through sea ice. As it moved toward Europe, the ice diminished and the ship generally proceeded smoothly. It left the Arctic Ocean on the 9th.
PanStar Acro is a 2,758-TEU-class container ship. When it departed Busan, it was carrying 737 TEU of cargo, including chemical products, used cars and auto parts. Its total load, including empty containers, was 837 TEU. TEU is a unit used to count one 20-foot container.
The ship will unload some of its cargo in the United Kingdom. It is then scheduled to call at Rotterdam in the Netherlands on the 13th and Gdańsk in Poland on the 16th. After completing its European itinerary, it will return to Busan via the Arctic Ocean, with its arrival scheduled for October 12.
The Northern Sea Route is attracting attention as a shorter maritime transport route linking Asia and Europe. As climate change reduces the extent of Arctic sea ice, interest in using the route is also growing.
An industry official said, "The ship’s arrival in the United Kingdom is significant because it shows that a Korean container ship actually traveled to Europe via the Northern Sea Route." The official added, "The operational data collected during the remaining European port calls and the return voyage is also expected to serve as a basis for assessing the route’s future potential."

[email protected] Choi Doo-sun Reporter