首尔：韩国总统李在明周二（10月13日）欢迎首艘经北极航道往返欧洲的韩国集装箱船凯旋，首尔正推动到2030年在该航线开通定期航班，尽管面临外交和商业障碍。
SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday (Oct 13) welcomed home the first South Korean container ship to sail to Europe and back via the Arctic as Seoul pushes to launch regular services on the route by 2030 despite diplomatic and commercial hurdles.
在港口城市釜山举行的仪式上，李在明向“泛星阿克罗”号船长和船员献上花环，他们在周日返回，完成了为期50天、停靠费利克斯托、鹿特丹和格但斯克的航行。
At a ceremony in the port city of Busan, Lee presented flower garlands to the PanStar Acro's captain and crew, who returned on Sunday after a 50-day voyage that included stops in Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk.
“我们清楚地认识到，当现有海上航线受阻时，韩国经济会受到多大冲击，”李在明说，指的是中东冲突如何影响了航运路线。
"We have clearly learned how badly the Korean economy is shaken when existing sea lanes are blocked," said Lee, referring to how conflict in the Middle East has affected shipping routes.
“新开通的北极航道可以成为另一条海上航线，危机时刻可依赖的另一个选择。”当局表示，随着气候变暖导致北方水域冰层减少，该航道通航条件改善，与苏伊士运河航线相比，预计可缩短约三分之一的航行时间。
"The newly opening Arctic route can become another sea lane, another option ... to rely on in a crisis." Authorities said the route, made more accessible by reduced ice cover in northern waters amid a warming climate, should cut sailing time by about a third compared with the Suez Canal route.
海洋水产部长官黄钟宇表示，计划2027年安排更多试航，涉及集装箱船和汽车运输船，目标是2030年开通定期航班。
Oceans Minister Hwang Jong-woo said that further trial voyages are planned in 2027 involving container ships and automobile carriers, with the aim of launching a regular service in 2030.
他预计该航道将在2040年前后具备经济可行性。他说，15年内，船只每年可使用该航道超过六个月。
He expected the route to become economically viable around 2040. Within 15 years, he said, ships could use it for more than six months of the year.
西北航道 他表示，韩国还将探讨亚洲与北美之间西北航道的潜力。
NORTHWEST PASSAGE South Korea will also look into the potential of the Northwest Passage between Asia and North America, he said.
然而障碍依然存在，目前航道紧贴俄罗斯北极海岸，有引发与寻求因乌克兰战争孤立莫斯科的西方盟友摩擦的风险。
Obstacles remain, however, with the current route hugging Russia's Arctic coast, risking friction with Western allies seeking to isolate Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
周二早些时候的国务会议上，外交部长赵显表示，俄罗斯的合作程度超出预期，但他承认，如果战争拖延，可能会出现复杂情况。“目前没有问题，但也存在与美国的关系，”赵显说。
At a cabinet meeting earlier on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Russia had been more cooperative than expected, though he conceded that there could be complications if the war drags on. "For now there is no problem, but there is also the relationship with the United States," Cho said.
李在镕表示，首尔将在“获得国际社会信任的基础上”开发这条航线，以此打消那些对该计划心存疑虑的合作伙伴的顾虑。
Lee said Seoul would develop the route "amid the trust of the international community", reassuring partners who might have concerns over the plans.
他在仪式上称：“我们将严格遵守国际规范以及国际社会的制裁原则。”
"We will strictly observe international norms and the international community's sanctions principles," he said at the ceremony.
据韩国最大在野党“国民力量党”议员姜升圭的办公室介绍，这条航线的商业可行性尚待验证。
The voyage also has yet to prove its commercial viability, according to the office of Kang Seung-kyoo, a lawmaker from the opposition People Power Party.
根据姜升圭办公室提供的海洋水产部数据，该船原定装载1,300个20英尺标准集装箱的货物，最终仅装载了737个出口集装箱；返航时则带回了1,743个空集装箱，并未装载任何进口货物。
The ship had targeted 1,300 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of cargo, but left with 737 TEU of export cargo and returned with 1,743 TEU of empty containers and no imports, according to Oceans Ministry data provided by Kang's office.
李在镕在讲话中指出，如何让在欧洲卸货后返航的船只也能装载货物，是“仍需解决的难题”之一。
In his speech, Lee said getting cargo onto ships coming back after unloading in Europe was among the "challenges still to be solved".
分析人士指出，这条航线的商业可行性将取决于船期是否稳定、破冰航行速度、特殊保险费用以及额外的燃油成本等因素。
Analysts said the route's commercial viability will depend on reliable schedules, speed of sailing through ice, special insurance premiums and extra fuel costs.