FINANCIAL TIMES: The first Chinese cargo ship to transit the Northeast Passage above Russia is nearing the end of her historic voyage.
On Friday the Yong Sheng steamed west around the northern tip of Norway at 14.9 knots, her maximum speed. Barring any last-minute mishaps, the 19,000 tonne vessel operated by China’s Cosco shipping group is expected to reach her final destination – the Dutch port of Rotterdam – as early as Monday, just 21 days after she left Busan, South Korea, fully laden.
The traditional southerly route from Busan to Rotterdam, which passes through the Suez Canal, would have taken an additional two weeks. As global warming opens up previously impassable Arctic shipping lanes, many hope that the Yong Sheng’s voyage presages a new era for the global shipping industry… (more)
