China: China launches shipping route to Europe via Arctic Ocean.

【Voice_over】 China has launched a new shipping route to Europe via the Arctic Ocean, cutting travel time by half. The weekly summer service departs from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang Province and will reduce the journey by 20 days, compared with routes like the Suez Canal. Ships will traverse the Northeast Passage, before stopping at ports in northern Europe and the Baltic Sea. The Arctic navigation season typically runs from July to October. Operators will deploy up to eight ice-strengthened vessels for the new route. 【Sound_bite】 Fang Yi, CEO, Haijie Shipping: "Our trial voyages last year verified a 20-day one-way transit from Ningbo to Felixstowe, saving nearly 20 days compared with traditional routes. The Arctic passage effectively protects temperature-sensitive cargoes from extreme summer heat on the Suez Canal and Cape of Good Hope routes. It also avoids frequent bottlenecks such as waterway congestion, unstable schedules and rising shipping costs." 【Sound_bite】 Xin Jianning, General Manager, Zhejiang Seaport Logistics Group Co., Ltd.: "We reserve dedicated berths to ensure immediate berthing upon vessel arrival and prompt departure after cargo completion. In coordination with maritime and customs authorities, we prioritize the clearance of key and inspection-required containers, efficiently reducing vessel port stay and ensuring high-efficiency operation of the Arctic weekly route." [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]