Eight voyages completed on China-Europe Arctic route
Sea Legend Shipping has completed all eight weekly container voyages planned for the 2026 season between China and Europe via the Northern Sea Route. The company ended the season earlier than planned due to forecasts of increasing Arctic sea ice.
Under its China-Europe Arctic Express service, Sea Legend Shipping began weekly departures in August from Ningbo-Zhoushan and other Chinese ports to Europe. Seven ice-strengthened container ships were deployed for the program.
The final two vessels departed Ningbo on September 27. The voyages were originally scheduled to continue into early October but were brought forward due to forecasts of expanding Arctic sea ice.
More than 14,000 TEUs of export cargo were transported across the eight voyages, with cargo originating from Zhejiang accounting for around 59% of the total. According to Ningbo Customs data, 7,761 TEUs of cargo passed through the region, with a total value of 5.33 billion yuan, or approximately $750 million.
Energy storage equipment, power batteries and new-energy vehicles accounted for a significant share of the cargo. Shipments were delivered to the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic and more than 20 other countries.
The Arctic route between China and Northern Europe takes around 18-20 days, roughly half the transit time of traditional routes through the Suez Canal.
Sea Legend plans to resume the service next summer and aims to extend the operating period to three to four months while increasing the number of voyages.
