#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. This means that from November, ships carrying Arctic oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG) will not have to turn west and go around the entire continent to get to Asia. Until this year, navigation in the east direction was suspended from November to June, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.
The travel time will be reduced by more than half – from 37-38 days, including passing through the Suez canal, which is currently unsafe, to 16-17 days.
It was originally planned to begin year-round navigation in the winter of 2023/24, but the dates were later shifted to the winter season of 2024/25. The start of year-round navigation was postponed for a year to prepare port infrastructure, replenish the icebreaker fleet, and test the route without cargo. An ice-class LNG tanker first sailed the entire route along the NSR during winter navigation without cargo, which allows us to expect the opening of year-round navigation this year.
Russia has the largest icebreaker fleet in the world – 41 icebreakers, 7 of which are nuclear-powered. There are 10 nuclear-powered icebreakers and 3 powerful diesel-powered icebreakers, 22 high-ice-class gas carriers operating in the NSR waters, and another one is to be launched by the end of the year.
Earlier, we wrote about Russia inviting other countries to develop year-round navigation on the NSR. Scientists’ forecast of the ice conditions on the NSR has become long-term.
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Text: Denis Kozhevnikov, Photo: author
