Northern Sea Route Cargo Traffic Surges to 38 Million Tons, Russia Plans Major Expansion by 2035

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route has increased from 4 to almost 38 million tons over the past 10 years, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev said at a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Cabinet of Ministers. "Over the past 10 years, cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route has increased from 4 to almost 38 million tons," the Deputy Prime Minister said. Trutnev noted that the Arctic region's development is directly linked to the Arctic projects of major Russian companies - Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Norilsk Nickel, Novatek, Lukoil, and PhosAgro. "The products they manufacture form the backbone of the Northern Sea Route and the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor's cargo base," he said. The Deputy Prime Minister added that the Russian government is working on development of the Northern Sea Route. As part of the plan, four nuclear-powered icebreakers and six rescue vessels have been built, and three hydrographic vessels have been modernized. Five hydrometeorological and radar observation satellites have been launched into orbit. "According to the plan, by 2035, four more nuclear-powered icebreakers, at least 10 rescue vessels, and 12 satellites must be built," he said. The Northern Sea Route is a shipping route and the main maritime communication channel in the Russian Arctic. It runs along the northern shores of Russia through the seas of the Arctic Ocean, connecting European and the country's Far Eastern ports, as well as the mouths of navigable Siberian rivers, into a single transportation system. Its length is 5,600 km.