Russia and China to Jointly Transport Siberan LNG to Asian and Western Markets — Costas Paris

China is breaking into Arctic transport through a joint venture between the country’s biggest ocean carrier, Cosco Shipping Holdings Co., and its Russian counterpart PAO Sovcomflot to move natural gas from Siberia to Western and Asian markets.

The state-owned companies will operate a fleet of a dozen ice-breaking liquefied natural gas tankers from Russia’s massive Yamal LNG project along the northern coast of central Siberia to destinations in Northern Europe, Japan, South Korea and China. China Shipping LNG Investment Co., a Cosco unit, will operate another nine such vessels, according to maritime data provider VesselsValue Ltd.…

The Arctic New Silk Road is open for business.

Checkpoint Asia
Russia and China to Jointly Transport Siberan LNG to Asian and Western Markets

Costas Paris for Wall Street Journal

Matthew Ehret — The Polar Silk Road Comes to Life as a New Epoch in History Begins

Speaking at China’s second Belt and Road conference in Beijing featuring 37 heads of state, Russia President Vladimir Putin unveiled the intention to unite Russia’s Northern Sea Route with China’s Maritime Silk Road. This announcement should come as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the close strategic friendship between both countries since the 2015 announcement of an alliance between the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union and Belt and Road Initiative. This extension of the Maritime Silk Road represents a powerful force to transform the last unexplored frontier on the Earth, converting the Arctic from a geopolitical zone of conflict towards a new paradigm of mutual cooperation and development....

Strategic Culture Foundation
The Polar Silk Road Comes to Life as a New Epoch in History Begins

Matthew Ehret

Brendon Petersen — A Container Ship Is Sailing Through Russia's Arctic Passage for the First Time

On August 23, the container ship Venta Maersk left the Russian port of Vladivostok and headed to Bremerhaven in Germany. Normally, a trip like that would take the Venta Maersk through the Suez Canal on a 34 day trip. Instead, the ship will sail through the sea north of Russia on a route that will only take 23 days. 

Last week, the Venta Maersk passed through the Sannikov Strait, the narrowest and most hazardous part of its journey, and is expected to arrive in Germany by the end of the week. Once it arrives, it will become the first container ship to complete a successful route through the Arctic Circle.

However, Maersk says that this doesn’t mean container ships will be flocking to the Arctic anytime soon. The route is only open for three months from July to October, and any ships looking to sail in this region have to be specially outfitted to sail in ice-filled water. These extra considerations make the route less profitable than it might be otherwise....

Popular Mechanics
A Container Ship Is Sailing Through Russia's Arctic Passage for the First Time

Brendon Petersen