Russia and China to Build New Arctic Shipping and Logistics Hubs: What It Means for Your Deliveries

1. What was announced in Moscow

At a joint press conference following the talks, Vladimir Putin said that the two countries are creating new logistics hubs and that trade volumes along the Northern Sea Route are growing every year. He linked that growth to two things at once: the commercial development of the Arctic route itself and the increased throughput of land border crossings, part of which now work 24 hours a day.

Arctic logistics is described on the Russian side as a long-term programme. It includes the launch of nuclear icebreakers, military bases in the polar regions and large oil and gas developments in the Far North. Both countries also stated that they want to preserve peace and stability in the Arctic and to avoid political or military tension in the region.

This is not a sudden decision. More formal Arctic cooperation between Russia and China started in March 2023, when Xi Jinping visited Moscow and the two sides agreed to set up a joint working group on the Northern Sea Route. In October 2023 Putin visited Beijing and Arctic logistics was again a key item on the agenda. In October 2024 the foreign ministries of both countries agreed to expand their Arctic dialogue, and in December 2024 senior officials held the first meeting of the newly created joint body on NSR cooperation.

2. Why the Northern Sea Route matters for your cargo

Since 2022, trade between Moscow and Beijing has become the main source of traffic on the Northern Sea Route. Last year 95 percent of all cargo carried along the route moved between China and Russia. Trade between the two countries has doubled since 2020 and reached a record 245 billion dollars in 2024, making China Russia's largest trading partner.

The bulk of that volume is crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipped along Arctic routes. LNG deliveries from Russia to China have also increased, although growth in this segment has slowed recently. Despite the launch of the Russian Arctic LNG 2 project in August 2024, no shipment from it has been recorded so far. One of the reasons for the slowdown is Western sanctions, particularly from the United States: Chinese buyers are cautious about purchasing LNG from a sanctioned project because of the risk of breaching US restrictions.

For a manufacturer or trading company shipping consumer goods, equipment or components, the practical reading is simple. The Arctic corridor is being built primarily around bulk energy cargo, so it will not replace your container line, railway or truck any time soon. What does change is the surrounding infrastructure: new logistics centres, extended working hours at crossings and higher throughput. That affects the leg of the journey where your cargo usually loses days — the border and the terminal, not the open sea. If you ship in containers, this is the moment to review your sea freight schedule and the port of arrival together with your buyer.

Russia and China are developing new shipping and logistics hubs along the Northern Sea Route

3. Sea, rail, road, air: how the routes compare

Announcements about new hubs are worth little until you translate them into your own delivery terms. Below is how the main options into Russia look from the shipper's side.

New hubs and 24-hour crossings shorten the transport leg, not the paperwork leg. A shipment is far more likely to be held at the Russian border because of a missing certificate of conformity or a mismatch between the invoice and the packing list than because of a lack of capacity on the route.

If your goods are subject to mandatory conformity assessment in the EAEU, the certificate or declaration must exist before the cargo arrives, not after. Arranging certification takes weeks when samples and test reports are required, and your buyer cannot complete customs clearance without it.

4. What your Russian buyer will ask you for

Whatever route the cargo takes, the importer in Russia files the declaration and answers for what is written in it. Everything they declare comes from documents you prepare. As traffic grows and hubs get busier, buyers tend to tighten their requirements to the supplier rather than relax them.

• Commercial invoice and packing list that match each other exactly: quantities, net and gross weight, number of packages, currency and delivery terms.
• Contract and payment details consistent with the invoice — the payment route is the second most common reason for a delay after documents.
• Full technical description of the goods: composition, material, purpose, model, brand. This is what the HS code is built on, and the code drives the duty rate and the permit requirements.
• Certificate of origin, if the buyer claims a preferential rate.
• Conformity documents under the applicable EAEU technical regulations, plus labelling in Russian where required for the product group.
• Photos and technical datasheets — increasingly requested in advance, because customs may ask for them during checks.

Send this set in advance, before the cargo leaves your warehouse. A document that arrives together with the truck is already late: the buyer needs time to check the classification and to prepare the declaration.

5. What the exporter should do

1. Ask your Russian buyer which route and crossing they plan to use for the next shipments — capacity and working hours at the border have changed, and the old transit estimate in your contract may no longer be accurate.
2. Agree the Incoterms rule again and put in writing who arranges carriage, who pays customs duties and who is responsible for permits.
3. Fix the product description and the intended HS code with the buyer before production, not after loading. A change of code after arrival means a new duty rate and a stalled declaration.
4. Check whether your product falls under mandatory conformity assessment or labelling rules in the EAEU, and start the process early — certification is measured in weeks, not days.
5. Send scans of the full document set as soon as the cargo is ready, and keep the originals moving with the shipment.
6. Build a buffer into your delivery schedule for the border leg, especially for the first shipment on a new route or through a new crossing.

6. Frequently asked questions

Can I ship my containers via the Northern Sea Route now?
In practice, no. The route is being developed commercially, but its traffic today is dominated by energy cargo between Russia and China — 95 percent of all volume last year moved between these two countries. For regular consumer goods, sea freight through conventional ports, rail and road remain the working options.

Will the new logistics hubs make my deliveries faster?
They are intended to. Expanded border crossings, some of them operating around the clock, and new logistics centres reduce waiting time at the border and at terminals. They do not shorten the time needed to prepare documents or obtain certificates.

Does the sanctions situation described in the news affect my shipment?
The restrictions referred to concern sanctioned Russian energy projects and the caution of buyers around them. If you supply ordinary goods, the practical issue for you is the payment route and the correctness of your documents, which should be agreed with the buyer in advance.

Who is responsible if the cargo is held at the Russian border?
Formally, the importer files the declaration and answers for it. In reality the cause usually sits on the supplier's side: an incomplete description, a mismatch between the invoice and the packing list, or a missing conformity document. Time and demurrage are paid by whoever the contract makes responsible — which is why the Incoterms rule matters.

Резюме

Russia and China are building new Arctic shipping and logistics hubs and expanding border crossings, and traffic on the Northern Sea Route keeps growing — though it is still dominated by energy cargo between the two countries. For an exporter shipping goods to Russia and the CIS, the practical effect is a faster border leg and more route options, not a lighter document burden. Agree the route, the Incoterms rule, the HS code and the permit requirements with your buyer before the cargo leaves your warehouse. Request a consultation, and we will go through your specific shipment.

We will select a delivery route to Russia for your cargo and handle customs clearance on the Russian side for your buyer.

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