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  • 2016 May 24

    Dmitry Smirnov, Head of the Northern Sea Route Administration, tells about NSR operation

    Since April 2016 the Northern Sea Route Administration has been headed by Dmitry Smirnov who had proved himself to be a good expert in the industry. In his interview with IAA PortNews he tells about the state of the NSR infrastructure and significance of cartographic applications for NSR.

    - What do you think about the NSR infrastructure? Can it cope with transit and large scale cargo traffic from the Yamal?

    - The NSR infrastructure includes, first of all, the fleet of icebreakers, navigational and hydrographic support, hydrometeorological support, search-and-rescue facilities and the infrastructure of seaports. 
    The recent years have seen much work on modernization and development of the NSR infrastructure.

    As for the icebreaking fleet, it currently numbers eight line icebreakers including four nuclear-powered icebreakers (50 Let Pobedy, Yamal, Taimyr and Vaigach) and four diesel-electric icebreakers (Admiral Makarov, Krasin, Kapitan Khlebnikov and Kapitan Dranitsyn).

    In the framework of the subprogramme “Maritime Transport” of the Federal Targeted Programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System in 2010-2020” two 16 MW diesel-electric icebreakers, Vladivostok and Murmansk, were built for FSUE Rosmorport in 2015. 16MW diesel-electric icebreaker Novorossiysk is under construction as well as 25 MW diesel-electric icebreaker Victor Chernomyrdin.

    A for navigational and hydrographic support, Federal Targeted Programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System in 2010-2020” provides for construction of ice-class hydrographic buoy tenders, specialized hydrographic boats and ice-class buoy tenders as well as modernization of hydrographic vessels.

    291 aids to navigation were in service in 2015. 238 sets of self-contained power supply based on LED technology, solar panels and wind power generator were put into operation from 2004 to 2015.

    Six monitoring and correcting stations of GLONASS/GPS are located at Andrew, Stolbovoi, Kamenka and  Oleny  islands, Sterligov cape and Indigirka river. One more station is to be built at Sabetta settlement on the Yamal peninsula.

    As for hydrometeorological support, it should be noted that water area of the Northern Sea Route is within the competence of three departments of Roshydromet (Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring): Northern (Arkhangelsk), Yakutsk and Chukotka. Roshydromet has equipped and runs 40 hydrometeorological stations and points. The State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), uses the data of HMS to analyze hydrometeorological situation including ice conditions and make a weather/ice forecast for the water area of the Northern Sea Route. During the summer season of the Arctic navigation, the NSR Administration places on its website the information on current weather/ice conditions in the seas of the Northern Sea Route as well as 72-hour forecast in the form of synoptic weather charts/reports, forecasts of ice conditions.

    Besides, AARI provides NSR Administration with long-term ice conditions forecasts which ship owners can use when planning operation of their vessels in the Northern Sea Route.

    When planning the navigation in NSR waters, special attention is paid to search-and-rescue facilities. To ensure compliance with the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue 1979 under  international obligations of the Russian Federation NSR has an infrastructure on emergency alert and oil spill response activities. The Central Marine Rescue Coordination Center is located in Dikson with sub-centers placed in Tiksi and Pevek.

    To enhance the emergency alert and to compensate the risk of possible oil spills there are points of forward deployment for emergency response, search and rescue equipment at seaports Dikson, Tiki, Pevek and Provideniya. Two state-of-the-art multi-functional rescue ships, Beringov Proliv and Murman (7 MW, Project Р-70202, Icebreaker6 class), have been built, as well as four multi-functional rescue ships Spasatel Karev, Spasatel Kavdeikin, Spasatel aborshchikov and Spasatel Demidov (4 MW, Project MPSV07, Arc5 class).

    The development of port infrastructure is underway. Federally owned facilities at port Pevek are under reconstruction in the framework of the Federal Targeted Programme “Economic and Social Development of the Far East and the Baikal Region”.

    The infrastructure of the Arctic terminal for round-the-clock shipments of oil from Novoportovskoye field in the framework of the Federal Targeted Programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System in 2010-2020” will include a radar post, maritime safety system facilities, underwater oil pipeline, single mooring point of tower-type design. Implementation period: 2014 - 2017.

    A good example of a modern approach to NSR infrastructure is a construction of Sabetta seaport in the Ob Bay. Comprehensive development of port Sabetta is based on private-public partnership with the key role of the state. 

    - What is your opinion about the accuracy and significance of cartographic applications for NSR?

    - In 2011, the works commenced on regular surveying with application of state-of-the-art survey facilities including multibeam echosounders.

    Those works cover the routes for transportation of hydrocarbons by large capacity ships of up to 15 meters in draught; the Ob Bay including the approaches to port Sabetta and the terminal of the Novoportovskoye field; water areas of seaports and the approaches; mouths of the Polar rivers including Ob, Yenisei and Kolyma. This work complies with the standards of the International Hydrographic Organization with consideration of the depth and vessels planned for certain routes.

    It should be noted that annual revision survey at the bottlenecks of the Polar rivers allows for advance revealing of bottom changes caused by floods and ice movements. Basing on the survey findings adjustments then introduced into the buoyage and mapping. 

    - What should the ship owners keep in mind when planning the voyages on the Northern Sea Route?

    - First of all ship owners should pay attention to information placed on the official website of the NSR Administration. This information includes the application form, information on organizations providing icebreaker escort services; the procedure and the terms for the submitting of captains’ reports, and recommendations on communications during the Arctic navigation period.

    About the Northern Sea Route Administration:

    Federal state Institution “The Northern Sea Route Administration” was established according to the Order of the Government of Russian Federation № 358-p (March,15,2013) to organize navigation in the water area of the Northern Sea Route. The main targets of the Institution are ensuring safe navigation and protection of marine environment from the pollution in the water area of the Northern Sea Route. The Rules for navigation in NSR waters were approved by the Ministry of Transport in January 2013. The Rules establish the authorization-based navigation, the order for considering the submitted applications and issuing the permissions for navigation, providing ship owners with other information aimed at ensuring safe navigation within NSR waters. Implementation of the procedures under the Rules is executed through the official website of the Northern Sea Route Administration (www.nsra.ru).

    Interviewed by Margarita Babkova.

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