First shipment of lumber from Russia to China via Northern Sea route

By Rhod Mackenzie

The first ship with a load of more than 300 containers with lumber for China partners is about to depart from the Port of Arkhangelsk. The load will be delivered along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to Shanghai in a few days, the governor and government of the Arkhangelsk Oblast said.

Alexander Tsybulsk, Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region commented: “Chinese furniture manufacturers are interested in the products of our timber processing enterprises and are ready to purchase annually up to 1 million cbm of lumber in Arkhangelsk.”

“The first shipment including more than 300 containers of lumber will soon leave for Shanghai. Shipping of cargo along the NSR between Russia and China will become regular. Our new partners plan for the next shipping season to load two vessels here per month, and in the future provide six vessel calls per month,” the official said.

The volume of cargo transported from Arkhangelsk along the Northern Sea Route will be growing in the coming years. This will support forestry enterprises in Russia’s north-west regions through government measures, including subsidizing the timber products transport.

The growth of trade volume with Chinese partners also contribute to the implementation of Vladimir Putin’s May decree to boost cargo flow along the Northern Sea Route, which should reach 80 million tonnes per year by 2024.

“The planned sailing of a containership along the Northern Sea Route is an important event for us, since China is the main direction of cargo transportation. We see great interest from Chinese partners in our products and the desire of local manufacturers to cooperate,” says Evgenia Shelyuk interim minister for economic development, industry and science of the Arkhangelsk Oblast.