Russia announces the arrival of the first ship from China

Russia announces the arrival of the first ship from China via the Arctic sea route

Russia announced on Friday, October 6, the arrival of a first ship from China via the “Northern Sea Route,” which connects Asia to Europe via the Arctic. For several years, this road has been one of Moscow’s largest projects to develop its international trade. This is all the more important as it has become an essential means of revitalizing trade routes since the sanctions and the necessary reorientation towards Asia.

Published on: July 10, 2023 – 2:35 p.m

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From our correspondent in Moscow,

It was the governor of the Kaliningrad enclave who published the information on his Telegram channel. Anton Alikhanov says the ship left Shanghai via Arkhangelsk in Russia’s far north before arriving at the port of Baltisk.

We do not know the cargo of this Chinese-flagged boat that arrived via this route, which will soon be closed by ice. This depends on the weather, of course, but sailing on this route usually begins in June and ends in November, during the long Arctic winter in which Russian nuclear icebreakers reign supreme. Russia has also resumed the construction of this type of ship, as well as ports.

Moscow was already hoping to be able to use this route more with climate change; it is “cheaper and faster than via the Suez Canal,” praises the governor of Kaliningrad. It is also a question that is crucial for a Russia at odds with Europe, which now wants to realize Vladimir Putin’s much-talked about pivot to Asia, particularly to find new export routes for its hydrocarbons.