Domestic container ship begins pilot operation on Arctic route for the first time

(Busan = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Seong-je = For the first time, a Korean container ship set sail from Busan to Europe for a trial operation of the Northern Sea Route.

This is the first time in 10 years since 2016 that Korean ships have piloted the Northern Sea Route, and this is the first container ship operation.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 22nd, the Panstar Acro, a pilot vessel for the Northern Sea Route, departed from Busan New Port at around 9 p.m. that day.

The Panstar Acro is scheduled to enter the Northeast Passage on the 30th and pass through the Arctic waters on the 7th of next month.

It will sequentially call at Felixstowe, England (September 9), Rotterdam, Netherlands (September 11), and Gdansk, Poland (September 15), then return to Busan via the Northeast Passage.

The total flight period is approximately 45 days, and the ship is scheduled to return to Busan on October 5th. The Arctic Ocean navigation distance is approximately 6,400 km.

The Northern Sea Route is a new shipping route that emerged as the Arctic sea ice area is rapidly decreasing due to climate change, and is attracting attention as the shortest route connecting Asia and Europe.

Panstar Acro is a 2,758 TEU (1 TEU is one 20-foot container) class container ship purchased from HMM by Panstarline.com, a shipping company based in Busan, and is equipped with ice-resistant capabilities.

The ship was loaded with a total of 837 TEU, including 737 TEU of cargo including chemicals, used cars, and auto parts, and empty containers.

There are about 20 people on board. The captain and navigator have completed specialized training for operating in polar waters, and the current navigator of the icebreaking research vessel Araon, who has experience operating in polar waters, will assist the captain as first mate.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to operate a 24-hour communication system with the Panstar Acro during the operation period.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries revealed the loading site of the Panstar Acro, which is scheduled to depart this morning.

Seo Seong-won, captain of the Panstar Acro, met with reporters here and said, "The Arctic sea area is thawing and has not yet completely opened, but we believe it will be completely thawed by the time we arrive. If not, we plan to operate a detour route, and since we can receive ice charts and weather services in real time, we do not think there will be any major problems in decision-making."

He went on to say, “We conducted intensive training for crews on ice-resistant ships to survive in polar environments,” and added, “This pilot operation of the Northern Sea Route will be a good opportunity for Busan to establish itself as a global maritime capital.”