South Korea’s president pledged Tuesday to press ahead with plans to develop Arctic shipping routes after a South Korean container ship successfully completed a trial voyage to the UK and back via Russia’s Northern Sea Route for the first time.
“We will steadily accumulate operational experience to build a foundation for sustainable maritime transport,” President Lee Jae Myung said in a statement. “The newly opened Arctic route will become another sea route to rely on in times of crisis, another option, and another lifeline.”
The president’s comments came Oct. 13 at a ceremony to welcome the Panstar Acro, a container ship operated by South Korea’s PanStar Line, back to the South Korean port city of Busan after its government-backed trial voyage.
In all, the vessel transported 700 containers of chemical products, cars, and cosmetics to the European market. The trip from Busan to Felixstowe in the U.K. took 20 days through the Arctic compared to a month via the usual southern shipping routes, the government statement said.
Lee said developing Arctic shipping routes would give South Korea more reliable transport options and encourage private investment.
He also sought to reassure the international community that the country would “strictly adhere to international norms and the principles of international sanctions.”
In addition, he promised to invest in research and technology to mitigate the environmental impact of Arctic shipping.
“We will protect the Arctic oceans and ecosystems, expand investment in Arctic research to pursue eco-friendly ship technology, the transition to low-carbon fuels, sea ice forecasting and navigation support, and the training of polar specialists,” he said.
Sights also set on the Northwest Passage in Canada
In a separate statement on Tuesday, South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Arctic shipping was a long-term national priority and that the ministry was planning more trial voyages with a view to scheduled commercial operations through the Northern Sea Route.
In August, the ministry also said it was working to indentify cargo that could eventually be transported along the Northwest Passage in Arctic Canada.
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Related stories from around the North:
Canada: South Korean shipbuilder eyes Arctic opportunities, including Canada, as northern shipping grows, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Resource extraction projects, dwindling sea ice, power Arctic shipping surge, Eye on the Arctic
Russia: Northern Sea Route cargo traffic to rise 14 per cent as Chinese shipping expands, says Rosatom, Eye on the Arctic
United States: Alaska port gets 1st funds from Yukon mine to study options for shipping critical minerals, CBC News
