Panstar Arco reached Felixstowe in the UK 21 days after leaving Busan, completing a Northern Sea Route (NSR) passage as part of a demonstration voyage by Panstar Group.
The 45,500 dwt containership departed Busan on 22 August and entered Arctic waters on 31 August. It cleared the western end of the NSR on 9 September before arriving at Felixstowe on 12 September. The vessel continued to Rotterdam the following day, 22 days after its departure from Busan.
The voyage between Busan and Rotterdam covered approximately 13,000 km, compared with about 20,000 km for a route to Europe via the Suez Canal.
With a capacity of 2,758 TEU, Panstar Arco transported 737 TEUs of cargo, including chemical products, used cars and auto parts. The voyage had initially targeted at least 1,300 TEU. Government officials attributed the lower cargo volume to the short booking period and uncertainty surrounding the first voyage.
The Maritime Executive, citing Korean media outlet AJP, reported that the vessel encountered ice and challenging weather during the Arctic passage. Near Wrangel Island in the Chukchi Sea, Panstar Arco stopped overnight after drifting ice blocked its route.
AJP also reported that winds of 40 knots in the Laptev Sea required the vessel to reduce speed. Panstar Arco later carried out evasive maneuvers to avoid harder ice near the Vikitsky Strait.
A total of 20 crew members were aboard. They included a Korean captain, chief engineer and other engineering officers. The first officer was a navigation officer from the South Korean government icebreaker Araon who had experience in polar navigation.
Jae-Geun Kwon, head of shipbuilding and the offshore business division at Panstar Group, also participated in the voyage. Technical information was collected on engine operation in low temperatures, hull behavior and fuel consumption.
Following its arrival in Rotterdam, Panstar Arco was scheduled to handle cargo before continuing to Gdynia, Poland, with arrival due on 16 September. Additional cargo was expected to be loaded there before the return voyage, with Busan scheduled for 12 October.
