Oslo: For the first time ever, a bulk carrier with non-Russian flag is using the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as a transit trade lane to transport iron ore from the Northern part of Norway to China via Arctic and Russian waters, reports the Norwegian Shipowners' Association.

The vessel departs from the port of Kirkenes in Northern Norway in early September. One of the world’s few modern heavy ice-class bulk carriers  - Nordic Barents - will carry a cargo of iron ore concentrate via the NSR through Arctic and Russian waters to China, thereby shortening the distance to China by about one third.

The ship will load 41,000 tons before setting course for China. Tschudi Shipping Company through its subsidiary Tschudi Arctic Transit and Nordic Bulk Carriers, working with Russian maritime authorities, are behind the Nordic-Russian venture.

 “We are very excited about the opportunities the NSR will generate,” says Felix H. Tschudi, Chairman of the Norwegian Tschudi Shipping Company and the largest shareholder of Northern Iron, the Australian-listed owner of the Sydvaranger iron ore mine. “It has been our ambition for years, so we are very happy to finally have the opportunity to do this voyage. The Northern Sea Route can be of great importance for the companies  in  northern Scandinavia and on the Kola Peninsula which ship oil, gas, minerals and other raw materials to the increasingly important Asian markets.”

Source: seatrade asia