A Chinese container ship has become the first to complete a China-to-Europe voyage along an Arctic shipping route dubbed the "Ice Silk Road."

A map created by Newsweek traces the pioneering 26-day journey of the Istanbul Bridge from the coast of China to the heart of Europe, where it has called at ports in the Britain, Germany and Poland, and is expected to reach the Netherlands this week.

Why It Matters

The vessel arrived one week later than projected due to poor sea conditions, according to China's state media. Nevertheless, the Arctic passage was two weeks faster than the traditional route via Egypt's Suez Canal—the fastest sea corridor since the Victorian era—and half the time of the Cape of Good Hope route around South Africa.

The journey highlighted new and emerging oppor

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