The Istanbul Bridge container ship berths at the Beiyi Container Terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang Province, on September 22, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Ningbo Zhoushan Port
The container ship Istanbul Bridge completed loading its final container at Berth 7 of the Beiyi Container Terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Monday. It will depart soon for Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port, via the Arctic shipping route, marking the official launch of the world's first China-Europe Arctic container express route.
The route, operated by the Chinese-invested shipping company Sea Legend, cuts the shipping period by 22 days compared with traditional routes and reduces carbon emissions by about 50 percent. It marks the first extension of Ningbo Zhoushan Port's route to the Arctic Ocean and will further support Chinese enterprises in addressing global trade uncertainties and exploring new international logistics channels, according to a statement from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port sent to the Global Times on Monday.
The opening ceremony of the route launch will be held on Monday at 3:28 pm. The China-Europe Arctic Express route travels via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) directly to Europe. The one-way transit time from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to Felixstowe is just 18 days, with an expected arrival on October 10.
This sets a new record for China-Europe express shipping, following the 26-day "China-Europe Express" route from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to Wilhelmshaven, Germany, launched at the end of 2024, according to Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.
Currently, all slots on the maiden voyage have been booked. In addition to time-sensitive e-commerce goods, the cargo includes safety-critical battery products and high-value energy storage units. The shipment is set to ensure direct berthing and fast container pickup, precisely aligning with the peak European christmas season, the statement said.
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