First Chinese ship Newnnew Polar Bear arrives in Arkhangelsk via Arctic Route

The Northern Sea Route (NSR) has officially opened for the 2025 summer navigation season with the arrival of the Chinese container vessel Newnew Polar Bear at the Russian Arctic port of Arkhangelsk. Operated by NewNew Shipping, the boxship docked on Friday, delivering 497 containers that included auto parts, PVC film, and steel for Russian industries. In return, the vessel will load export cargoes such as timber products bound for China — a journey that takes just over three weeks, significantly shorter than via the Suez Canal.

The Newnew Polar Bear departed Shanghai on July 16 and completed its voyage in under a month. Following 13 successful voyages through the NSR in 2024 that carried over 20,000 TEU, NewNew Shipping has expanded its Arctic Express N1 service, which connects Shanghai and Ningbo to Arkhangelsk. The company is also deploying larger container ships this season, following the precedent set last year by EZ Safetrans Logistics, the first Chinese carrier to send a Panamax vessel through the NSR.

Arkhangelsk expects 20 Chinese vessel calls via the NSR this year — nearly double the number in 2024. Over a dozen ships have already received permits for Arctic passage between July and November, with five belonging to NewNew Shipping.

Governor Alexander Tsybulsky hailed the arrival as a boost for regional trade, emphasizing that Arkhangelsk enterprises now have faster access to Chinese markets. Meanwhile, NewNew Shipping has committed around $2.5 billion to expand Arkhangelsk port, as part of a broader Sino-Russian partnership to strengthen Arctic shipping links.

To ensure year-round navigation in the NSR, the company also plans to order Arc7 ice-class container ships in cooperation with Russia’s nuclear agency, Rosatom. Notably, the Newnew Polar Bear was previously linked to an October 2023 incident in the Gulf of Finland, where it allegedly ruptured a gas pipeline while dragging anchor. The ship’s former captain remains under arrest in connection with that case.