The Ocean Economy Development Department of Zhejiang Province, China, announced that Hai Jie Shipping will open the 'China-Europe Arctic Express' at Ningbo Zhoushan Port this September. The route will traverse the Arctic, connecting major Chinese and European ports via the 'Ice Silk Road'.
At the end of last year, Ningbo Zhoushan Port launched a 'China-Europe Express' to Germany's Wilhelmshaven, with a single trip taking 26 days. This time, the new direct route between Ningbo Zhoushan Port and Felixstowe Port, the largest container port in the UK, shortens one-way shipping time to 18 days, setting a new record for China-Europe express routes.
This is a seasonal route, generally navigable from mid-June to late October, taking the Northern Sea Route (NSR) through the Arctic straight to Europe. The scheduled port sequence is: Qingdao — Shanghai — Ningbo — Felixstowe (UK) — Rotterdam (Netherlands) — Hamburg (Germany) — Gdansk (Poland). The inaugural voyage is planned for September 20, ensuring direct berthing, fast container pickup, and precise alignment with Europe’s Christmas stocking peak.
According to a relevant official from the Marine Ports Office of Zhejiang Provincial Ocean Economy Development Department, compared with the '25+ days' for China-Europe freight trains, the '40+ days' for Suez Canal shipping routes, and the '50+ days' for vessels currently detouring Africa’s Cape of Good Hope due to the Red Sea crisis, the new route’s '18 days rapid direct arrival' is highly competitive in international trade. 'Product imports and exports can lower inventory and logistics costs by shortening the logistics cycle, accelerate capital turnover, and help reduce costs and increase efficiency across the industrial chain.'
Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post reported that this route is also a strategic move by China in global trade — bypassing key chokepoints such as the Suez Canal and the Strait of Malacca, mitigating the so-called 'Malacca Dilemma', lowering geopolitical risks, and strengthening China's voice in the European market.
The report further points out that, for Europe, this route also means a deepening of trade ties with China. China is the EU’s largest source of imported goods and its 3rd largest export market. Against the backdrop of US-EU trade frictions, the 'China-Europe Arctic Express' can help European countries diversify their supply chains and avoid turbulent sea corridors.
For Europe’s two largest ports, Rotterdam and Hamburg, this means smoother unloading cycles and less congestion during peak seasons, helping to enhance resilience and efficiency in trade.
In addition, Ningbo Zhoushan Port is a major port in the Yangtze River Delta. The launch of the 'China-Europe Arctic Express' will further consolidate its status as a core hub for trade with Europe. As of now, Ningbo Zhoushan Port has a total of 308 container shipping routes, including 24 shipping express lines.