Davies Turner is to offer a new full-container-load service between China and the UK via the Northern Sea Route, with containers arriving at Felixstowe for onward distribution by road across the UK and Europe.
The seasonal Polar Silk Road service, operated by Sea Legend, is scheduled to run from August to October and will offer a 21-day transit time between Ningbo in China and Felixstowe.
Davies Turner said the service is designed to provide an alternative to conventional ocean freight for time-sensitive shipments, while remaining cheaper than rail or air freight and could boost road freight container movements from Felixstowe, ahead of the peak season.
The forwarder will consolidate cargo from six Chinese ports – Dalian, Fuzhou, Nansha, Qingdao, Shanghai and Taicang – at Ningbo before the containers sail directly to Felixstowe.
Once in the UK, the containers will feed into Davies Turner’s logistics network for onward distribution to destinations across the UK and mainland Europe.
The new service adds another option for shippers looking to balance container transport costs against the demand for shorter lead times.
The Northern Sea Route avoids the Suez Canal and Cape of Good Hope, reducing the sailing distance between China and northern Europe.
The Arctic route can reduce the usual sailing time between Ningbo and Felixstowe from about 40 days to around 20 days, depending on conditions. Ships using the route require specialised ice-classed ships or nuclear icebreaker escorts.
It also allows ships to avoid troubled routes such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait. where ships have been attacked by Houthi rebel groups.
However, the service is seasonal and dependent on Arctic navigation conditions, with Davies Turner planning an eight-week sailing programme between August and October.
Tony Cole, Davies Turner head of ocean, said: “Global supply chains continue to demand greater flexibility and resilience.
“By offering this seasonal Northern Sea Route service, we are expanding the multimodal options available to our customers. The Polar Silk Road provides an excellent solution for time-sensitive shipments that need to arrive faster than conventional ocean freight but without the higher costs associated with air transport.”
Davies Turner said the service forms part of its wider investment in its China-origin network and its development of multimodal freight solutions.
The Polar Silk Road will operate at an almost weekly frequency during the 2026 Arctic shipping season.
