On February 9, Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi presented the application of the Russian Federation for the extension of its continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean. The revised application submitted to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) at its 40th Session held at UN Headquarters in New York now includes the southern part of the Gakkel Ridge and the Podvodnikov Basin, the Ministry’s press center says.
Russia submitted its first application to the UN in 2001. It took more than 10 years to prepare materials for the adjusted bid. For that purpose Russia conducted extensive geological and geophysical studies in the Arctic Ocean and a bathymetric survey, paying special attention to the nature of the Mendeleyev and Lomonosov ridges.
According to the Minister of Natural Resources, unique technologies intended for challenging ice conditions were applied during the research. Different research vessels were deployed for the expeditions. The Academician Fedorov ship was involved in seismic research in ice of up to 3 meters thick.
Sergei Donskoi said the concept of the revised application has been left unchanged. “The new application covers the same area with some amendments due to new supporting materials that justify the position of Russia,” he explained. In particular, the adjusted bid now includes the southern part of the Gakkel Ridge and the Podvodnikov Basin.
Sergei Donskoi emphasized that the application filed by Denmark in respect of the continental shelf north of Greenland covers the area considerably overlapping that included into the application of Russia. The same is possible with the application of Canada. He also said that Russia had discussed this issue with Denmark and Canada. According to him, those countries do not object to the UN Commission considering of the applications submitted by other countries.
Final delineation of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation in the Arctic Ocean will be made upon approval of UN Commission’s recommendations on Russia’s application.
Sergei Donskoi also said that apart from Russia’s application the Commission has received three verbal notes - from Canada, Denmark and the United States. "None of the verbal notes contain objections against the consideration of this partially revised Russian application by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf," said the Minister.