Maersk sent its first cargo vessel from East Asia to Europe via the Northern Sea Route , rather than through Egypt 's Suez route , to test and collect data about the relatively unknown shipping routes , it said . Russia has been trying to develop the polar Sea Route , which cuts travel times between Asia and Europe to around a week or two , as the effects of climate change have allowed it to be used all year round , as opposed to just the summer months . The ship will sail from Russia 's Vladivostok to northeast China , via the Bering Strait , and finally to St. Petersburg .
Maersk sent its first cargo vessel from East Asia to Europe via the Northern Sea Route, rather than through Egypt's Suez Canal, to test and collect data about the relatively unknown shipping route, it said. Russia has been trying to develop the Northern Sea Route, which cuts journey times between Asia and Europe to around a week or two, as the effects of climate change have allowed it to be used all year round, as opposed to just the summer months. The ship will sail from Russia's Vladivostok to northeast China, using the Bering Strait, and finally to St. Petersburg.