By Alison Koo 6 August 2026South Korean ferry operator Panstar Line has purchased a containership from HMM for its maiden voyage through the Northern Sea Route (NSR). It was widely believed that Panstar would charter a ship for the 22 August voyage, and it demonstrates the company’s commitment to expand its container shipping business and its optimism that the NSR will become an alternative shipping lane. After arriving at Busan, the ship is undergoing supplementary work to make it resilient to icy conditions. The first voyage will see Panstar Acro set out from Busan for Hamburg, Gdansk, and Rotterdam with a 20-strong crew, including one with experience of navigating the NSR. Linerlytica also reported that MSC has purchased Bernhard Schulte Group’s 2006-built 3,534 teu Gerhard Schulte for $34m, continuing its fleet expansion drive.