The Panstar Acro container ship, weighing 45,500 tons, returned to Busan, South Korea on Sunday, October 11, completing its trial voyage to the Arctic and Europe that lasted 50 days. This journey was conducted with the support of the South Korean government and the shipping association, and although it was not commercially successful, South Korean officials consider it an achievement for the development of future services.
Details of the Voyage
The Panstar Acro, which was purchased from HMM in early August, was prepared for this trial voyage. This ship was built in 2011 and has a capacity of 2,758 TEU. Its hull was reinforced before the voyage to withstand ice, and the captain and crew received special training in Arctic navigation.
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The ship departed from the port of Gdansk, Poland on September 18 and left Busan on August 22. It entered the Arctic on August 31 and reached Felixstowe in the UK and Rotterdam in the Netherlands on September 12 and 13, respectively. Despite being five days behind schedule, this voyage was reported as a significant success with no major incidents occurring along the route.
Loading Challenges
However, reports indicate that the ship was unable to attract the expected cargo. The Panstar Acro had marketed this voyage to its network, especially in Japan and also within Korea. In total, only 737 containers were loaded, which included chemicals, used cars, and auto parts from six domestic carriers. Some reports pointed to a lack of cargo, stating that the ship returned to port with 1,743 empty containers.
Officials attributed the inadequate loading to the late start of the marketing campaign and hope for better conditions in 2027. The South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has planned to hold an official welcoming ceremony for the ship and its crew on October 13.
This voyage marks the third time that South Korea has sent a ship through the Northern Sea Route. In 2013, Hyundai Glovis chartered the Stena Polaris tanker, which carried a cargo of naphtha from the port of Ust-Luga in Russia. This is the first time a container ship has been used on this route.
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