The Russian government, via state-owned transport company Rosatom, and China's Hainan Yangpu Newnew Shipping have launched a new rail cargo service that connects Russian and Chinese ports via the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans. The service will see cargo moved by rail from Moscow to the Port of Arkhangelsk and then transported over 13,200 kilometres to China.
The voyage from Arkanghelsk has an estimated duration of 20 to 25 days. The partners expect cargo will arrive in China around one week earlier compared to shipping via the Northern Sea Route.
Under a separate agreement, Rosatom and NewNew Shipping will establish a new joint venture company that will operate container vessels year-round on the NSR. The joint venture company will include the ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk in its calls due to their potential for handling greater cargo volumes.
This agreement also calls for the construction of five ice-capable containerships built for operations in the Arctic, particularly along the NSR. The partners aim to ship 200 million tonnes of cargo through the NSR by 2031. The longer-term goal is to have 1.8 billion tonnes pass through the route by 2035.
The joint venture is scheduled to be finalised this August with operational sailings to commence shortly afterwards. The establishment of the joint venture is in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's calls for greater shipping traffic passing through the NSR.
