August 1, 2022
The Federal State Budgetary Institution “Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route” (“GlavSevmorput”), which will be created within the framework of Rosatom, will organize navigation on the Northern Sea Route.
“This year, the centralization of powers to organize activities on the Northern Sea Route (NSR) was transferred to Rosatom. Also, Rosatom is creating the Main Directorate for the NSR, which includes the Headquarters of Marine Operations. The corresponding order has been signed. This will ensure the safety of navigation along the NSR, stable delivery of goods, and will certainly attract additional new transit carriers to the NSR,” Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at a meeting on August 1, Interfax reports.
He said that in 2021, the cargo flow on the Northern Sea Route amounted to 35 million tons, which is 2 million tons higher than planned.
“This year, as of July, it will increase by 5%. As for the transportation of transit cargo, over the past year it has grown by 3 times, the number of voyages has doubled – up to 1627, this is evidence of the demand for the NSR. The expected prospective cargo flow – a task that was set by the president – is 80 million tons in 2024. And by 2030, according to companies that can transport their products, we expect the volume to be about 200 million tons. And this is primarily due to the implementation of LNG projects of the NOVATEK company, oil production projects of the Rosneft and Gazprom Neft companies, the implementation of the Baimsky
project. Norilsk Nickel will increase volumes. The overall effect of GDP growth from the implementation of projects by 2030 will be about 30 trillion rubles, the increase in tax revenues will be more than 10 trillion rubles,” Novak said.
These indicators require a significant expansion of infrastructure along the entire NSR route, the Deputy Prime Minister added. Work is underway to expand the icebreaker fleet, develop sea terminals, and much attention is paid to ensuring security in this area.
“It is very important for us to fulfill all the plans. And the balance of resources, including state ones, should be coordinated. First of all, I am talking about the icebreaker construction program. Please provide all the necessary funds before making changes to the federal budget”, – the Prime Minister said.
He asked Novak to keep all issues of the development of the NSR under personal control.
In June, a law was adopted that centralizes the powers to manage navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route in Rosatom. It provides for the organization of shipping on the basis of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route” subordinated to Rosatom. At the same time, the mechanism for issuing permits for navigation in the water area is changing: now, in addition to issuing permits, it is assumed that they can be suspended, renewed, amended and revoked. These legal innovations are being introduced in the context of the growth of cargo traffic along the NSR in order to enhance the safety of navigation on the route.
President has previously stated that deadlines for the development of cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route should not be moved, and the goal of increasing cargo traffic along the NSR to 80 million tons in 2024 remains in force.