Chinese shipper planning 10-12 ship calls to port of Arkhangelsk along NSR in 2024 - authorities

ST. PETERSBURG. May 8 (Interfax) - Chinese Yangpu Newnew Shipping Co. plans to make 10-12 shipping runs from Shanghai to Arkhangelsk along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2024, the press service of the governor and government of the Arkhangelsk region said.

Head of the region Alexander Tsybulsky, General Director of the Arkhangelsk Commercial Sea Port Tsetsen Goryaev and General Director of Torgmall LLC Elena Maximova signed an agreement on Wednesday under which Torgmall will ensure the organization of the transportation of goods by sea from ports in China to Arkhangelsk. Yangpu Newnew Shipping is a business partner of the company.

The Arkhangelsk Commercial Sea Port will ensure that the infrastructure at the Ekonomiya Terminal is prepared for cargo transshipment.

"Thanks to our cooperation, last year we sent our first ship along the Northern Sea Route from Arkhangelsk to Shanghai. [...] The agreement signed today is an official confirmation of our intentions of long-term cooperation, so now we need to think through plans for the next five years and provide for the necessary investments in infrastructure development. From our side, we will guarantee attention to investors and partners and the prompt adoption of the necessary decisions," Tsybulsky said.

According to Yangpu Newnew Shipping representative Ke Jin, the company plans to operate four vessels on the line during the 2024 navigation season. In addition, the carrier expects to use the capabilities of Russian Railways to send cargo from Arkhangelsk to Moscow.

As reported, there was a direct cargo run via the NSR from Arkhangelsk to Shanghai in 2023; the first one in ten years. The ship carried 500 containers of lumber. The travel time was 23 days versus 30-32 days from St. Petersburg.

According to the Arkhangelsk Commercial Sea Port website, the Ekonomiya loading and unloading terminal is located in the northern part of Arkhangelsk, 15 km from the White Sea. The terminal is capable of receiving vessels with a length of over 190 meters, a width of 30 meters and a draft of 9.2 meters.