On the 20th, the Murmansk Maritime Trade Port in Russia held a welcoming ceremony for the first Chinese container ship to dock, celebrating the smooth opening of the port's first container shipping route from China. This marks the official start of the regular cargo transportation business that connects China's coastal ports with the largest deep-water port in the Russian Arctic Circle through the Arctic shipping route.

Chinese Consul General in St. Petersburg, Luo Zhanhui, read the congratulatory letter from Chinese Ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, to this welcoming ceremony. The congratulatory letter pointed out that the container ships under Chinese enterprises have successfully arrived at Murmansk Port via the Arctic route, which is the latest achievement of deepening Arctic cooperation between China and Russia, and also a vivid practice of the "Ice Silk Road" from vision to reality. Murmansk is the home port of the Russian icebreaker fleet and the largest transshipment node in the Arctic shipping route, playing a key role in the normal operation of the route. The voyage departing from Tianjin Port has successfully arrived at the port, relying on the advantages of Murmansk Deepwater Ice Free Port and Russia's shipping support capabilities, opening up an efficient and stable logistics channel for enterprises from both countries and injecting new impetus into China Russia economic and trade cooperation.

Andrei Chibis, Governor of Murmansk Oblast and Chairman of the "Northern Sea Route and Arctic" Committee of the State Council of the Russian Federation, delivered a speech at the welcoming ceremony, saying that the Chinese container ship docking at Murmansk Port is not just an ordinary logistics operation, but also a landmark starting point for opening up a broad cooperation path, indicating that large-scale cooperation between the two sides is about to begin. Sincere congratulations to all parties involved. Today is a holiday for everyone. I firmly believe that this maiden voyage will pave a grand development path. He also extended his best wishes to all crew members and partners of Russia and China.

Ke Jin, General Manager of China Shipping Company's Xin Xin Yun Shipping, stated that the successful docking of Chinese companies' container ships marks the official start of container transportation in the China Russia Arctic shipping route, which is a "new starting point". The Arctic shipping route currently has the conditions to serve as a safe and efficient transportation channel, with significant strategic significance and practical value. The company plans to launch the ARC7 class container ship construction project in 2027 and is studying positioning Murmansk as the main home port for these ships. We firmly believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the Arctic shipping route will become a golden channel for China Russia economic and trade cooperation.

Murmansk Maritime Trade Port was founded in 1915 and currently has 24 cargo yards and 15 berths, with an annual throughput capacity of 24 million tons. It is the only comprehensive port in the Arctic region that can achieve year-round navigation and direct access to the world's oceans. The "Xin Xin Hai" container ship that successfully docked this time is affiliated with China Shipping Company Xin Xin Yun Shipping, carrying a total of about 500 containers. During the event, the unveiling ceremony of the Arctic Development Council, a Chinese funded enterprise, was also held simultaneously.

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Editor/Yang Meiling