Putin and Jinping

It’s been previously reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping favorable conditions for use of the Northern Sea Route.

As one of its cargo ships arrives in Sweden after the transcontinental voyage, shipping company Cosco says it might boost shipments along the Arctic route.

Questions are raised about profitability and competitiveness, but Cosco still confirms that it is interested in shipping along the Northern Sea Route. A company representative this week said that Cosco is “assessing the possibilities for more regular shipping between Europe and Asia along the NSR.”

“We are optimistic with regard to the future of Arctic shipping,” the spokesman said, newspaper Hovudstadsbladet reports. The Cosco representatives spoke in Helsinki in connection with the arrival in Varberg, Sweden of the cargo vessel Yong Sheng. The ship departed from the Chinese port of Dalian on July 8 and arrived in Sweden on Aug. 17.

In 2013, it became the first Chinese merchant ship to transit the Arctic through the Northern Sea Route.

The Yong Sheng will return to China along the same route by the the end of October, Vesselfinder.com reports.

As previously reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping favorable conditions for use of the Northern Sea Route.

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