Business programme 2022

The launch of the first stage of international transit in 2025 will make it possible to create a regular container line between the countries of the Asia-Pacific and Europe and increase transit traffic along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from the current 1.3 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes by 2030. With this goal in mind, in the next few years, ice-class container ships will be built, and two transport and logistics hubs will be created in the Murmansk Region and Primorsky Territory in an effort to integrate this route into the international trading system. What impact could this project have on the global economy and the economy of the Russian Arctic?

The main priorities for developing the Northern Sea Route (NSR) should be the security and environmental safety of navigation. It is particularly crucial to preserve biodiversity and minimize the manmade impact on the environment, possibly with close cooperation between the state and business to adopt comprehensive measures to create an effective environmental monitoring system. Pilot environmental monitoring studies conducted by specialists from Moscow State University’s Marine Research Centre along with an international group of experts are the first stage of major efforts to ensure environmental safety on the NSR and will help to form an objective assessment of the sea conditions for the subsequent preparation of recommendations for all users of the NSR. Can we obtain the maximum economic benefit from the development of the NSR, while also ensuring its environmental safety?

The development plans for the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the period until 2030 involves creating a new global transport corridor that will connect Asia-Pacific countries with Europe and also ensure the efficient and safe transportation of goods. The NSR is not only 40% shorter than the route through the Suez Canal, but also allows ships to travel from Shanghai to Rotterdam in eight fewer days. High-class Arctic vessels are gaining more and more experience each year from navigating the Arctic waters. Experimental early and late season voyages by NOVATEK and Sovcomflot vessels along the NSR in winter without an icebreaking escort proved that year-round navigation will be possible in the near future. Whereas total cargo traffic via the NSR was only 4 million tonnes in 2014, it had spiked to 33 million tonnes by the end of 2020. Cargo traffic is projected to reach 80 million tonnes per year in 2024 and 150 million tonnes in 2030. In an effort to support the NSR, infrastructure will be built and modernized, including port facilities and icebreaking, cargo, and rescue fleets, a satellite constellation will be created to serve the interests of NSR users, and rescue and assistance systems for ships will be modernized throughout the transport corridor. What impact will this infrastructure development have on the Russian Arctic? What are the main issues that need to be addressed?

It is only possible to increase the volume of international traffic and promote the competitiveness of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) on the global market, while also taking into account the need to ensure the environmental safety of transportation, by building new ice-class ships that have new green technologies and run on eco-friendly fuels. Given the future increase in the number of ships on the NSR route, shipbuilding and ship repair needs to be developed, and the system for training a highly skilled professional workforce needs to be updated. What prospects are there for international cooperation in building ice-class ships? What problems and prospects are there from developing a market for ship repair services in the Arctic? How would an increase in the number of high-class ships affect shipping in the Arctic?

Aviation plays a key role in the Arctic’s transport accessibility. Air transportation is often the only way to get to the remote corners of this part of the planet. Cargo and mail are delivered by air. The challenges we face today are placing new demands on aircraft operating in the Arctic. Many experts believe the region’s future development will hinge on the successful implementation of unmanned aircraft projects. Arctic airports are major transport hubs and play a strategic role as alternate airfields for the global aviation industry on transcontinental, trans-Siberian, and trans-Arctic routes. The international community attaches great importance to the development of an airfield network in the countries of the Arctic region. Budgetary funds and private investments are being raised to modernize existing and build new airports in the region. What should a modern airport in a hard-to-reach settlement in the Arctic look like? What is the acceptable minimum for providing air navigation and meteorological equipment at Arctic airports?