Context: The Red Sea crisis has shifted attention to the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) - the proposed trade route for coking coal, crude oil, LNG, fertilizers and containers.

About Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC)

• It is a proposed sea route between the Indian port of Chennai and the Russian port of Vladivostok.

• Once complete, it will take 24 days, down from presently over 40 days, to transport goods from India to Far East Russia.

• The EMC will cover a distance of about 5,600 nautical miles, which is significantly shorter than the current route via the Suez Canal.

• Passes through: Sea of Japan, East and the South China Sea through Malacca Strait to reach the Bay of Bengal and then cut across through the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago to reach Chennai.

• For India, it will provide a shorter and more efficient route to access the markets of the Far East, such as China and Japan.

Possible benefits of Eastern Maritime Corridor(EMC)

• Reduced Duration: This route is advantageous as: 1) Distance is reduced by 40% from 9,450 nautical miles to 5,647 nautical miles and 2) shortens the transportation time by up to 16 days.

• Access to Russia’s Far East: Vladivostok Port provides access to resource-rich regions, offering opportunities in sectors like energy, mining, and technology for Indian businesses.

• Trade and strategy: India is building nuclear power plants with Russia’s collaboration in Kudankulam on the sea coast in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district. The opening of a sea route is likely to help in the project.

Key Facts About Vladivostok

• It is a major city in Russia, located in the Far East of the country.

• It is located on the Golden Horn Bay, north of North Korea, and a short distance from Russia’s border with China.

• It is the largest port on Russia’s Pacific coast, and home to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy.

• It is the eastern railhead of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, which connects the Far East of Russia to the capital Moscow, and further west to the countries of Europe.