A new route linking six major Chinese ports with Felixstowe will use the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic to significantly cut transit time for time-sensitive goods
Freight provider Davies Turner has launched a new seasonal 21-day shipping service between China and the UK for time sensitive goods.
The new Polar Silk Road service, a full container load (FCL) service provided by shipper Sea Legend, will link Ningbo and Felixstowe, taking in six major Chinese ports.
Avoiding the Suez Canal and Cape of Good Hope, the Polar Silk Road will travel via the Northern Sea Route, which is open during the Arctic navigation season.
As a result, the service significantly reduces lead times compared with traditional ocean freight while remaining more cost-effective than rail and air services, according to Davies Turner.
The route will consolidate cargo from Chinese ports, including Dalian, Fuzhou, Nansha, Qingdao, Shanghai and Taicang at Ningbo, before sailing directly to Felixstowe.
From there, containers can be distributed throughout the UK and Europe via Davies Turner’s logistics network.
“Global supply chains continue to demand greater flexibility and resilience,” said Davies Turner head of ocean, Tony Cole.
”The Polar Silk Road provides an excellent solution for time-sensitive shipments that need to arrive faster than conventional ocean freight but without the higher costs associated with air transport,” he added.
The Polar Silk Road service will operate on an eight-week sailing programme during the Arctic shipping season from August through October 2026.
