Istanbul Bridge Completes China–Europe Arctic Voyage Arriving at Rotterdam Port
Istanbul Bridge Completes China–Europe Arctic Voyage Arriving at Rotterdam Port
Cargo vessel Istanbul Bridge dropped anchor at Rotterdam Port in the Netherlands on the morning of 23 October 2025, successfully completing the European leg of the China–Europe Arctic Express route. Thus the voyage conducted over the Arctic route spanning from China to Europe has formally concluded.
With the discharge of the final container of the voyage, this transport line conducted over the Northern Sea Route has once again proven its time advantage and operational efficiency. However, the operator disclosed that the return voyage will be conducted not via the Arctic, but through the Suez Canal, a decision made taking into account regional loading demand and trade concentration.
The vessel will call at ports in Egypt and Turkey on its return journey to pick up new cargo and is expected to return to China in early December 2025.
Record-Time Arrival in Europe via the Arctic Route
Istanbul Bridge departed from China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on 23 September 2025. Following the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic Ocean, the vessel reached Felixstowe Port in the United Kingdom within 20 days. It subsequently called at Hamburg Port in Germany on 15 October and Gdansk Port in Poland on 19 October, completing loading and discharge operations. At its final stop in Rotterdam, all operations were successfully completed.
This route provides significant time savings compared to conventional maritime transport, which takes approximately 40 days via the Suez Canal and 50 days via the Cape of Good Hope.
Haijie Shipping's New Target: Year-Round Arctic Voyages
Li Xiaobin, Operations Director of Haijie Shipping (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd., the vessel's operator, shared important plans regarding the future of the Arctic route in a statement:
"Next year we will deploy more ice-capable vessels. Our goal is to establish the route on a permanent basis with regular sailings weekly or biweekly during the summer months."
Li further noted that the company will leverage data obtained from this experience to improve vessel design and fleet technical standards, thus working toward enabling year-round Arctic voyages.
Alternative Route in Winter: Eastern Europe Express
When the Arctic route closes during winter months due to ice formation, Haijie Shipping will launch a new hybrid transport service called "Eastern Europe Express" to maintain operational continuity. In this service, cargo will be transported to Europe via sea transport through the Suez Canal and then conveyed to final destinations via rail transport. Thus the China–Europe route can be completed in as little as 25 days.
A New Milestone for the Ice Silk Road Strategy
The China–Europe Arctic Express route operates over the Northern Sea Route, a new international maritime corridor connecting East Asia with Europe. This route stands out as a core component of the "Ice Silk Road" initiative, which aims to enhance China's logistics efficiency in global trade.
The strategic importance of the Arctic route extends beyond time savings to include significant benefits in terms of reduced fuel consumption and lowered carbon emissions. However, operations remain limited in seasonality due to the requirement for icebreaker support and environmental sensitivities.
Haijie Shipping (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. is a Hong Kong-based shipping company operating in container transport between Asia and Europe. The company is active in the fields of intermodal transport, logistics services, and international route management, positioning itself as one of the pioneer operators of the China–Europe Arctic route.
Key Notes:
Istanbul Bridge completed its Arctic voyage by arriving at Rotterdam Port on 23 October 2025.
The vessel will return to China via the Suez Canal, calling at Egypt and Turkey.
The Arctic route saves approximately 20 days compared to the Suez route.
Haijie Shipping plans year-round Arctic voyages in 2026.
The Eastern Europe Express route will be activated during winter months.
The route is a strategic component of China's "Ice Silk Road" initiative.
Haijie Shipping is strengthening its leading role in Asia–Europe intermodal transport.
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News Link: https://en.portnews.ru/news/383764/
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Author: SedatOnat.com
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