Alessandro Tricamo on the viability of Arctic shipping route

The Northern Sea Route is attracting renewed attention as China, South Korea, and other Asian markets explore ways to reduce shipping times between Asia and Europe.

The potential time savings are significant, but questions remain over whether the Arctic route can become commercially viable at scale.

Alessandro Tricamo, Partner, Transportation and Advanced Industries Practice, told CNBC Middle East that the route could save roughly 10 days from Korea and up to 20 days from China. However, he cautioned that “faster does not automatically mean more economical.”

He noted that specialized vessels, higher operating and insurance costs, seasonal constraints, and the route’s inherent unpredictability continue to limit its viability. Arctic routes today remain a marginal share of global freight.

Looking ahead, Alessandro observed that the commercial case will depend on more than distance. Reliable operating conditions, appropriate vessel capacity, supporting infrastructure, and robust environmental safeguards will all be critical if the route is to develop further.

Watch the full interview here.