Project cargo specialist Red Box Energy Services has moved a jack-up rig from Denmark to China — exploiting the Arctic sailing season to cut more than three weeks of voyage time off the stormy Cape of Good Hope route.
The 7,900-nautical mile (14,600 km) voyage from Grenaa to Qingdao marks the first full Arctic transit for such a cargo.
The 28,900-dwt heavylift deck cargoship Audax (built 2016) took 27 days to complete the journey carrying the Atlantic Oilfield Services jack-up accommodation rig Atlantic Amsterdam (built 1982), as opposed to an estimated 51 days on the European-Asian sea route.
