Sea Legend Shipping to Conduct Eight Voyages on Arctic Route in 2026

Sea Legend Shipping will expand its container operations on the North Sea route connecting China and Europe to eight voyages from August to October 2026. On August 7, Rosatom issued navigation permits for seven Chinese transshipment vessels heading to Europe via the North Sea route. Alexey Likhachev, head of Rosatom, explained that this operation will involve deploying vessels weekly. The operational hub will be set at Ningbo-Zhoushan, with the 1,740 TEU Dubai Tower scheduled to depart Ningbo on August 15 and arrive in Felixstowe, UK, on September 5. Following the first voyage, transshipment schedules to European ports such as Rotterdam, Wilhelmshaven, and Gdynia will be presented. The transportation time is approximately 20 days, compared to the 40 days of the existing Suez Canal route. This route expansion is influenced by the instability in the Strait of Hormuz, and Sea Legend Shipping is targeting cargo with critical delivery times, such as e-commerce, batteries, and automotive parts. Commercial evaluations are mixed, with Rosatom claiming the strategic value of the North Sea route is increasing, while The Guardian and the Financial Times point out issues related to Russian sanctions and environmental burdens.