Arkhangelsk Arctic Route to China Operational: 20-Day Transit Beats Suez by Half

At the First International Forum of Port Cities, the discussion centered on the physical reconfiguration of Arctic logistics, specifically the role of the Port of Arkhangelsk within the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor. Nikolai Patrushev, aide to the President of the Russian Federation, framed the expansion of these capacities as a requirement for economic sovereignty and the establishment of a new international transport framework.

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Sea port

Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev noted that the system currently faces bottlenecks created by sanctions, vessel seizures, and financial restrictions. These constraints have severed traditional trade links, forcing a shift in territorial connectivity and a search for alternative routes of cooperation.

The current physical limits of the Port of Arkhangelsk, according to Governor Alexander Tsybulsky, allow for vessels with a deadweight of up to 35,000 tons and a draft of up to 9.2 meters. The hub operates with a fleet of over 300 units and 20 service companies, supported by more than 13 billion rubles in private investment over the last five years.

Container traffic has seen the most significant scaling, increasing 30-fold since 2017. New transshipment platforms and equipment have reduced cargo processing times by 40%, while the Polar Trans Port railway terminal adds a throughput capacity of 200,000 tons.

The operational viability of these routes is currently demonstrated by the "Arctic Express No. 1," a multimodal project run with China's NewNew Shipping Line. This line connects Moscow and Arkhangelsk to Chinese ports via the Northern Sea Route. Since the start of 2024, 16 voyages have been completed-split evenly between import and export-moving nearly 20,000 TEU. The transit time from Arkhangelsk to China is 20 to 25 days, roughly half the duration of the Suez Canal route. The port has also extended its reach to India, Brazil, and various nations across Africa and Latin America.

To move beyond current draft and tonnage limits, a deep-water district is under construction at the Port of Arkhangelsk with the participation of the Rosatom State Corporation. An investment declaration has been prepared as the government seeks foreign partners. NewNew Shipping Line has already signaled intent to invest in the deep-water infrastructure and the planned bunkering terminal.

Following a proposal by Alexei Besprozvannykh, Governor of the Kaliningrad Region, the next International Forum of Port Cities will be hosted in Arkhangelsk.