As China recently launched a regular service on the Arctic route, attention is focusing on the background. While the economic advantage of shortening sea transport time is cited as a main reason for operating the Arctic route, some analyses say there is also a geopolitical purpose behind it.
On the 8th (local time), the New York Times (NYT) said China is pursuing the first regular cargo transport service using the Arctic route connecting Asia and Europe. The Chinese cargo ship Dubai Tower is expected to return to China this week after completing about three weeks of Arctic route sailing from Qingdao to Teesport in the United Kingdom. Chinese shipping company Sea Legend plans to operate the Arctic route a total of eight times, including the Dubai Tower.
The Arctic route is a shortcut across the Arctic Ocean that links Asia and Europe, thousands of miles shorter than the existing routes through the Suez Canal or around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. For the Asia-Europe leg, it is known to cut sailing time by about two weeks compared with existing routes.
Despite the advantage of shortening transport time, some say the Arctic route's commercial viability remains low. The period in which it can operate is short, operations are restricted depending on sea ice conditions, and there are cases where cargo ships must be supported by icebreakers. Vidhya Mani, an associate professor at the University of Virginia who studies global supply chains, said, "The Arctic route is almost commercially unviable."
Even so, some analyses say there is a geopolitical purpose behind China's active push to pioneer the Arctic route. As great-power competition over the Arctic intensifies, with the United States signaling an intention to annex Greenland, a Danish territory, China is also seeking to secure influence in the region.
Dexter Roberts, a China expert and nonresident senior fellow at the U.S. think tank Atlantic Council, said, "China is good at pursuing things that may not seem commercially viable right away," and added that ultimately "all of this will lead to a geopolitical win." This is interpreted to mean that China is pioneering the Arctic route with long-term geopolitical benefits in mind rather than immediate economic gains.
In particular, the Arctic route is also being used as a pathway to export Russian crude oil, which is under Western sanctions, to China. Using the Arctic route allows Russian cargo bound for Asia, including China, to bypass waters around Europe, reducing risks such as ship inspections or detentions due to Western sanctions.
The NYT noted, "Russia is already using the Arctic route to strengthen ties with China." Earlier, the British shipping outlet Lloyd's List reported last month that at least five tankers belonging to the "shadow fleet" had transported Russian oil to China via the Arctic route despite tougher Western sanctions.
Lyle Goldstein, who heads the Asia program at the Washington-based think tank Defense Priorities, said China's new Arctic route service "will clearly bring China and Russia closer together."