The Arctic route from Lianyungang to Arkhangelsk has entered the stage of regular operation.

Recently, with the last container securely loaded, the "Xinxinhai 2" vessel carrying 635 containers departed from Jiangsu Lianyungang Port, heading to Arkhangelsk Port in Russia. This marks the normalization and maturation of the "Lianyungang-Arkhangelsk" Arctic route, highlighting Lianyungang's strategic role as a key port in the Belt and Road Initiative in ensuring global supply chain stability and promoting high-level openness to the world.

As Russia's national transportation artery, the Arctic route is an emerging international shipping line connecting East Asia and Europe, and one of the core channels for building the "Ice Silk Road." Compared to the traditional Cape of Good Hope route, the Arctic route shortens the journey by approximately 9,000 nautical miles, significantly reducing transportation time and greatly improving logistics efficiency. Since its maiden voyage in August 2024, this route has successfully transitioned from the trial exploration phase to stable and mature operations, becoming a safe, efficient, and green logistics artery in Sino-Russian economic and trade exchanges.

The rapid maturation of the route is inseparable from the efficient collaboration and innovative mechanisms of port and shipping enterprises and port authorities. Under the overall coordination of Lianyungang Port Holding Group, the Port Corporation collaborated with Logistics Holding Kaida Container Company, Interconnection Company, and New Oriental Container Terminal Company. Drawing on the mature route operation experience of Shanghai Port, they joined hands with Xinxinyun Shipping Co., Ltd. to implement a "combination punch" of market development and business operations. This effectively addressed the challenges of scattered cargo sources and insufficient market recognition in the early stages of the route. The Lianyungang Port business team refined full-process standards, strictly controlled key aspects such as vessel declarations, document preparation, and cargo clearance. They also established a regular linkage mechanism with trunk and feeder shipping companies, ensuring real-time coordination of vessel schedules, precise communication of navigation and overseas port connection information, and timely handling of sudden issues like space allocation, greatly enhancing the timeliness and stability of route operations.

It is reported that as Russia's northern core gateway port, Arkhangelsk Port has a well-developed inland railway distribution network. After goods arrive at the port, they can quickly reach key areas such as Russia's northwestern hinterland and the Moscow core economic zone. This has established a highly efficient Arctic logistics pathway directly connecting the Yangtze River Delta, Jiangsu, and local foreign trade enterprises to the Northern European and Russian Northwestern markets, effectively opening up a new regional foreign trade export route.

Looking to the future, Lianyungang Port Holding Group will continue to leverage its coordination and leadership advantages, deepen strategic collaboration with partners such as Xinxinyun Company, seize the navigation window of the Arctic route, continuously expand the variety of cargo sources, optimize port and shipping operation connections, and further amplify the demonstration effect of Lianyungang's Arctic route.