Photo: Courtesy of Liaoning Port Group Co

A cargo vessel carrying 14,000 tons of bagged chemical products departed Dalian Port in Northeast China's Liaoning Province on Wednesday evening for Europe via the Arctic route, marking the first bulk cargo voyage through the Arctic by a northern Chinese port in 2026, the port said. 

The sailing by the vessel Haofeng also signals the formal resumption of Dalian Port's Arctic bulk cargo service after a hiatus of more than a decade, according to a representative from Liaoning Port Group Co.

The Arctic shipping route, a key part of China's "Ice Silk Road" — an Arctic shipping and development initiative proposed jointly by China and Russia, is generally open only during a seasonal window from late July to late September each year. 

Compared with traditional sea lanes, it can shorten the journey to Europe by nearly one-third, reduce overall logistics costs by about 30 percent, and offer both faster transit and lower carbon emissions. It also helps avoid some geopolitical shipping risks, making it an important supplement to the China-Europe maritime logistics network.

The relaunch of the bulk cargo Arctic service in Dalian Port further expands the Arctic shipping network of Liaoning Port Group Co and provides a lower-cost logistics channel for Chinese bulk exports to Europe, according to the port.

To ensure the smooth completion of the voyage, Dalian Port's bulk cargo terminal division pre-arranged operational procedures based on the cargo's characteristics, optimized production scheduling, and allocated resources efficiently to complete loading operations for bulk carrier Haofeng in a timely manner, said the port.

"As the route successfully resumes operations, we will seize the annual Arctic navigation window, continue to expand cargo sources, deepen cooperation with all parties, and promote regular operations of the route," said Du Lin, deputy head of marketing development at Dalian Port's bulk cargo terminal division.

"In doing so, we aim to further unleash the hub function of Northeast China's land-sea corridor and support revitalization of northeast China as well as China-Europe economic and trade cooperation," Du said.

Dalian Port, operated by Liaoning Port Group Co, was among the first Chinese ports to explore Arctic shipping. 

In recent years, Liaoning Port Group has stepped up development of Arctic routes. In 2024, it launched its first Arctic container service and later added more container routes to major European ports, reinforcing Dalian's role as a logistics hub in northeast China. 

The terminal division said it had worked with shipping companies, overseas consignees and port authorities to create an integrated logistics package covering cargo collection, terminal handling and customs clearance support. The package was designed to meet customer demands for efficiency, cargo-handling quality and commercial service, helping ensure a smooth restart of the bulk cargo Arctic route.


Global Times