The evolution of the world’s shipping trades and routes was marked by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, a civil engineering project that had taken 10 years to complete.

This canal created a direct sea route between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. No longer would vessels need to travel around the Dark Continent of Africa to access the rest of the world.

The opening of the 193 km shipping canal reduced the journey from the Arabian Sea by 5,500 miles.

The next revolution in shipping trade was the opening in 1914 of the 51-mile-long Panama Canal connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean 1914.

Ranked as one of the seven wonders of the world, the Panama Canal has provided safe passage for close to one million ocean-going vessels since 1914. In fact, 15,000 vessels now traverse the canal each year.

RIGHT: Maritime author ex-mariner Michael Walsh photographed crossing the Panama Canal.

Today, in 2025, open a new and equally important trade route. A revolution in maritime trade has begun this week.

The opening of the Polar Silk Road (PSR) significantly reduces the stakes and importance of the Suez Canal.

According to the monitor, the Istanbul Bridge vessel will reach the port of Felixstowe in eastern Great Britain mid mid-October 2025. This means the journey from China to Europe took 20 days, compared to 40 via the Suez Canal and 50 via the Cape of Good Hope.

On September 23, 2025, the container ship departed with cargo including batteries, clothing, and other goods destined for the European market for the Christmas season. The vessel is escorted by Russian icebreakers to ensure safety in Arctic waters.

LEFT: The Leaving of Liverpool, Michael Walsh. Click Pic for Details.

The route passes through the Bering Strait, along the northern coast of Russia, and into the North Sea, with stops in ports in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland.

This isn’t a one-off voyage, but the launch of a regular ‘Arctic Express’ service, making it similar to traditional container services.

Shortening the route promises significant economic benefits. Warehousing costs could potentially be reduced by 15-20%.

For China, this strengthens exports to the EU, which will reach $800 billion in 2024. Globally, if 5-10% of traffic switches to the Arctic Shipping Route, it will save $10-15 billion annually in logistics costs.

RIGHT: Britannic Waives the Rules by Ex-Deckboy Michael Walsh: For Details, Click the Picture.

The route through the Suez Canal is a bottleneck. Remember how the Ever Given, a bulk carrier, blocked the narrow Suez Canal in 2021?

The nearly week-long delay resulted in losses of $9.6 billion daily. Everyone is talking about the problems in the Red Sea related to piracy and Houthi shelling. The Arctic route is seasonal and is partly dependent on icebreakers, but it has great potential.

Now about the inevitable. Russia controls most of the route, increasing its influence, ability to collect tariffs, and developing ports and logistics in the north.

China is investing in infrastructure: ports, navigation, and even joint projects with Russia.

This offers China an opportunity to strengthen its position in global trade and reduce its vulnerability to southern routes, which could be affected by conflicts or political pressure.

Add in an icebreaker fleet, ports, fueling/technical points, rescue systems, navigation and weather systems, and communications, and a new, scalable logistics corridor is being created.

Yes, your iPhone will arrive faster now, but the battle for trade routes has always been bloody, and their control could reshuffle the global deck. You can and should share this story on social media: TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

THE LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL, ex-Liverpool seaman Michael Walsh, Bestseller: 70 stories and over 100 pictures. A first-hand account of the British ships, seafarers, adventures and misadventures (1955 – 1975). A tribute to the ships and seamen of the then-largest merchant marine in history. CLICK PIC FOR BOOK DETAILS.  https://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-walsh-and-nadiya-burlikova/the-leaving-of-liverpool/paperback/product-v89mgrp.html?q=&page=1&pageSize=4