Chinese Container Vessel ‘Dubai Tower’ Completes First 25-Day Arctic Passage To U.K
A Chinese container vessel completed a risky voyage by crossing the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route in just 25 days.
The Dubai Tower reached the United Kingdom’s Teesport, laden with batteries, components to make solar panels and other energy storage devices packed in 1500 shipping containers.
It had departed from China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and covered the trip in half the time, since the passage, dubbed Polar Silk Road by the Chinese, cuts sailing time by offering a shortcut between the Asian and European continents, compared to the longer, conventional route through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Malacca.
The Northern Sea Route, till now, has been dominated by Russia, whose icebreaker assistance is required by commercial vessels trying to cross the icy waters running from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait.
This journey was the first in a series of 8 sailings planned on this route by the operator Sea Legend, running from August to September.
Apart from China, South Korea and even the U.S are keen to establish their maritime presence in the Arctic region, as global warming and rising temperatures are opening up trade routes in the far north, though it will take decades for them to become operational throughout the year. As of now, shipping remains limited to a few summer months.
Though the route offers a shortcut and cuts fuel requirements, it is largely seasonal, dependent on Russian icebreaker assistance, requires permits and comes with other risks, making it increasingly difficult to replace the conventional Asia-to-Europe trade route any time soon.
China had mentioned the Arctic in its 2018 strategy and spent decades in establishing itself as a stakeholder in the region’s affairs.
Sanctions imposed on Russia and China by the West, especially the U.S has brought the countries closer, though Moscow remains critical of the increasing Chinese footprint in the Arctic.
Initially, Russia was against giving China observer status in the Arctic Council, a group made of 8 countries to safeguard the pristine region.
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