London: A South Korean container ship arrived in Britain on Saturday after sailing through the Arctic route, marking the first such voyage by a Korean container ship to Europe, the maritime ministry said. The PanStar Acro departed from the southeastern port city of Busan on Aug. 22, entered the Northern Sea Route on Aug. 31 and arrived in Felixstowe, Britain, its first European port of call, 21 days after its departure.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the container ship is scheduled to call at Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Sept. 13 and Gdansk in Poland on Sept. 16 before returning to Busan on Oct. 12, according to the ministry. This journey signifies a significant achievement in maritime navigation, offering a new route that could potentially reduce travel time between Asia and Europe.
President Lee Jae Myung expressed his congratulations to the ship and its crew for this pioneering journey through the Arctic route. "I congratulate and thank the captain and crew members who pioneered this historic Arctic route," Lee wrote on social media platform X. "Let's wish the PanStar Acro a safe return and a successful exploration of the Arctic route." The successful voyage of the PanStar Acro could pave the way for more frequent use of the Arctic passage, which is becoming increasingly accessible due to changing climate conditions.