CJ Korea Express operates North Pole Route in July

A Korean Shipping company is trying the North Pole Route for a 1st merchant operation.

According to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, CJ Korea Express plans to transport 4,000 t of loading equipment for the Oil & Gas Offshore Terminal Project via the North Pole Route from Mussafah UAE to the Suez Canal and Yamal Pen. Russia.

After Hyundai Glovis first succeeded in the North Pole test operation in September 2013 for a Korean shipping company, this is the first merchant operation for the route.

CJ signed a transport contract with the Netherlands EPC (Engineering·Procurement·Construction) company, Bluewater this past January and obtained the navigational approval from NSRA (The Northern Sea Route Administration) of Russia.

The liner plans to deploy a 15,000 t heavy-weight specialized vessel (KOREX SPB NO.2) from Mussafah UAE to Yamal Pen. Russia, travelling over 16,700 km.
KOREX SPB NO.2 was built by a Korean-Chinese shipbuilder, Samjin Shipbuilding Industries, in 2012. Its crew includes 19 seamen and 8 Korean officers. 4 marine technicians among those seamen were trained for the North Pole route workforce cultivation program at Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology from June, 17th to 19th. The program has been certified by Lloyd's Register.

Unlike the way that Hyudai Glovis had test-operated using a Swedish chartered ship, CJ Korea Express is operating the merchant sailing through the Korean flag carrier with a Korean crew.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries supports the polar operation workforce cultivation program and offers incentives to encourage the advancement of the North Pole route. Also, it tries to enhance the cooperation network with the Arctic Ocean rim through intergovernmental conferences.

"The merchant operation is the first fruit produced through the constant cooperation by the government and corporation and this will be a bridgehead to advance into the future logistics market in the Arctic region," said Jun Ki Jung, director of Shipping Logistic Bureau of Maritime-Fisheries Affairs Ministry.

< Korea Shipping Gazette >