Russia is shipping a rare naphtha cargo through the North Sea Route (NSR) to China, using the Arctic route to reach its major trade partner. The vessel SCF Irtysh, carrying 37,000 tonnes of naphtha, was loaded at Ust-Luga port and is the first such loading in at least a decade. The NSR offers a shorter route to China during the summer months compared to the Suez Canal, but requires ice-class ships and icebreakers, adding to costs. Russia aims to start year-round NSR supplies from 2024 with the assistance of icebreakers. President Putin has set a goal of supplying 200 million metric tons of goods via the NSR by 2030.
