China and Europe are now connected via the Arctic. The container ship 'Istanbul Bridge' departed from the Chinese port of Ningbo-Zhoushan on September 22nd and, after navigating the Arctic waters, arrived at the port of Felixstowe in the UK in 18 days. This route, named the 'China-Europe Arctic Express,' shortened the journey by at least 2,700 nautical miles compared to the traditional route through the Suez Canal. This was made possible by the reduced sea ice at the end of the Arctic summer. While this route reduces CO2 emissions per ton of cargo and speeds up supply chains, increased maritime traffic could accelerate Arctic ice melt, exacerbating climate change. This new Arctic route serves as an alternative to traditional land corridors, such as the New Eurasian Land Bridge, which connects China to Europe via Central Asia, and the China-Mongolia-Russia route, which utilizes the Trans-Siberian Railway.
