FELIXSTOWE, Britain - After a 20-day voyage, the first vessel on the China-Europe Arctic container express route arrived Monday night at the Port of Felixstowe in East England.

The route offers a clear time advantage versus roughly 25 days by the China-Europe Railway Express, about 40 days via the Suez Canal and some 50 days around the Cape of Good Hope.

Named "Istanbul Bridge," the container ship departed from the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in East China, carrying about 4,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo. It will discharge its load at ports in Britain, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.

Li Xiaobin, chief operating officer of Sea Legend Line Limited, which operates the route, said at the quayside that the ship is primarily carrying goods such as lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products, as the sea and temperature conditions along the route are well-suited for heat-sensitive and time-critical cargo.

ALSO READ: China opposes US curbs on maritime, logistics, shipbuilding sectors

The maritime service uses the Arctic's Northeast Passage to reach Europe directly. Li said that after exiting that passage, the vessel encountered Storm Amy in the Norwegian Sea on Oct 8 and reduced speed for safety, arriving in Felixstowe two days later than planned.

"This has been an exhilarating voyage in my 18 years as a captain," captain Zhong Desheng told Xinhua, adding that he was "thrilled" to lead his crew to port. He said the company began preparing for the route three years ago, including vessel hardware upgrades and systematic training for the crew.

According to Sea Legend Line Limited, the Arctic Northeast Passage links East Asia and Europe and is emerging as a new trunk line for international shipping, with potential to streamline global supply chains and bolster trade along the route.

Fang Yi, the company's chief executive officer, said that the shipping line will see more ice-classed ships in 2026 and have a fixed summer schedule for service.