Panamax Container Ship Completes 1st Arctic Voyage & Reaches China In Just 3 Weeks

A massive container ship, Flying Fish 1, has completed its first Arctic voyage, shaving two weeks off the traditional Suez Canal route.

This 294-meter Panamax ship, operated by EZ Safetrans Logistics, is one of the largest to traverse the Northern Sea Route

Just 10 years ago, shipping through Russia’s Northern Sea Route was unthinkable. Now, about 20 crossings will happen this year.

Flying Fish 1 can carry 4,890 TEUs, far surpassing the 1,500 to 2,000 TEUs typical of earlier Arctic voyages.

Flying Fish 1 encountered another Chinese container vessel just 850 nautical miles from the North Pole, with no sea ice in sight.

Maintaining a steady 16 knots, the ship crossed the Laptev and East Siberian Seas without needing an icebreaker.

The voyage from St. Petersburg to Shanghai will total 8,000 nautical miles, cutting 4,000 miles off the usual Suez Canal route.

Currently, Arctic shipping is limited to a 3 to 4 month window, but as ice recedes, more operators may consider this route.