Why China & Russia Betting BIG On Arctic Sea Route Amid Global Trade Crisis | Explained

Livemint

Published18 Aug 2026, 07:53 PM IST

20 days from China to Britain — that is the claim of Chinese shipping company Sea Legend, which has launched the first regular container service along the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic. The route cuts journey times roughly in half compared with traditional paths via the Suez Canal or Strait of Hormuz. Running 3,500 miles along Russia’s Arctic coast, the corridor is only navigable for a limited seasonal window that climate change is gradually extending. Russia under Putin has long promoted the route as a strategic trade corridor, while China sees it as a key part of its Polar Silk Road vision under the Belt and Road Initiative. With the Red Sea and Hormuz disrupted by regional conflicts, interest in the Arctic alternative is rising fast.