State corporation Rosatom has granted Chinese shipping company…
State corporation Rosatom has granted Chinese shipping company Sealegend Shipping permission for vessels to transit the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as part of the launch of the first regular container route between China and Europe.
Consensus
- Rosatom has granted permission for seven ships of Sealegend Shipping to transit the Northern Sea Route.
- The route is part of a regular container service between China and Europe starting in 2026.
- The project involves small and medium-sized container vessels.
- The goal is to transition from occasional shipments to weekly scheduled transport during the navigation season.
- Cargo volume on the NSP reached 14.5 million tons from January to May 2026, a 13% increase compared to 2025.
- Funding of approximately 138 billion rubles is allocated for the federal project 'Development of the Great Northern Sea Route' for 2026–2028.
Points of divergence
- The first international container transit through the NSP occurred in October 2025, when a Chinese container ship arrived at the British port of Felixstowe in 20 days, compared to about 37 days via the Suez Canal. — vedomosti
- The regular service may begin in August–October 2026, depending on ice conditions. — kommersant
Coverage (2 sources)
- Rosatom allowed Chinese Sealegend Shipping to pass through the SCS — Ведомости
- Chinese Sealegend will launch a container line to Europe via the Northern Sea Route — Коммерсантъ
Key entities
- Europe
- Rosatom
- Alexei Likhachov
- Sealegend Shipping
- China
- Northern Sea Route
- Rosatom State Corporation
- SMP
- Sealegend
- СМП Госкорпорация «Росатом»