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South Korea Pushes Arctic Container Shipping Amid Long-Term Viability Questions

South Korea's government approved a pilot container service through the Northern Sea Route, selecting ro-pax operator Panstar Line to conduct a trial voyage in September between Busan and Rotterdam using a chartered 3,000 teu vessel. The Korea Maritime Institute study commissioned by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries cautioned that Arctic container shipping profitability may not materialize until after 2040 due to draught restrictions limiting vessel size. Panstar was the sole applicant; major carrier HMM declined participation, citing similar economic concerns. The institute projects improving economics as global warming expands ice-free periods, enabling deployment of larger, more efficient ships by mid-century. In October 2013, Hyundai Glovis chartered the icebreaking tanker Stena Polaris to transport naphtha from Russia to South Korea. China's Yangpu Newnew Shipping and Safetrans already operate regularly on the route.