A large Panamax-type container ship has passed through the Northern Sea Route to China for the first time, completing the journey in record time. The route taken by the 294-meter-long Flying Fish 1 from St. Petersburg to Shanghai took just over three weeks, while traversing the Suez Canal takes two weeks longer, according to "FederalPress." Flying Fish 1 has a cargo capacity of 4,890 TEUs. Until now, only smaller vessels with capacities of up to 2,000 TEUs navigated the Northern Sea Route. In 2024, around 20 transit voyages are planned along the Northern Sea Route, mainly from Russia to Chinese ports. Flying Fish 1 departed from St. Petersburg on September 3 and entered the Northern Sea Route near Novaya Zemlya a week later. Shortly thereafter, it encountered another Chinese container ship, marking the first such meeting in the Arctic. The nighttime encounter took place 850 nautical miles from the North Pole, with no ice in sight. The vessel maintained a speed of 16 knots throughout the journey, indicating changes in Arctic ice conditions over the past two decades. It continued through the Laptev and East Siberian seas, avoiding small ice fields near Wrangel Island. On September 17, Flying Fish 1 exited the Arctic route, passing through the Bering Strait near Alaska without icebreaker assistance, just six days after entering Russian Arctic waters. The journey from the Baltic Sea to Shanghai was approximately 8,000 nautical miles, 4,000 miles shorter than the traditional Suez Canal route. Instability in the Red Sea forces vessels to detour around Africa, adding another 4,000 miles to the standard route to Asia. To expand trade partnerships between Russia and China, a bilateral subcommittee on cooperation in Arctic waterways was established in August 2024. Vessels are traveling to Chinese ports from St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk.