First Container Ship Sets Sail on "Polar Silk Road"

China Daily reports that Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has launched the world's first China-Europe Arctic Express, realizing China’s "Polar Silk Road" vision.

On Monday, the container vessel Istanbul Bridge departed from Beiyi Container Terminal for Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port.

The vessel is carrying over 1,000 containers and sailing the Northeast Passage. The voyage is expected to take 18 days – less than half the time it takes to sail the Suez Canal route.

The vessel is operated by the Chinese-invested shipping company Sea Legend.