A Russian tanker has passed through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) with a cargo for China after six years of plying short-haul trades in Russia’s north-west, according to ship-tracking data.

The 41,457-dwt Shturman Koshelev (built 2017) is the latest tanker to have taken the Arctic route during the region’s summer season as sanctions and global warming have both played a part in expanding opportunities for shipping in this part of the world.