The ship made the round trip from Busan to Rotterdam in just 50 days, saving at least 10 days compared to the fastest travel times along the more commonly used Suez Canal route. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is not only around 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) shorter, it also avoids the geopolitical flashpoint of the Middle East.
But the faster delivery times might not exactly trigger celebrations across western European capitals. Analysts say the nations arrayed against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine fear that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is looking to boost Seoul's economic relations with Moscow. This would run contrary to the efforts to cut off Russia made by Kyiv and its Western alies.