FSUE Atomflot has summarized the results of its summer-autumn navigation season on the Northern Sea Route. According to the company, nuclear-powered icebreakers conducted 111 icebreaker escort operations between July 1 and September 30, 2021 versus 66 operations conducted over the navigation season of 2020.
The aggregate gross tonnage of the escorted vessels totaled 2.1 million tonnes (vs 1.1 million tonnes in 2020). Over the season, Atomflot performed 62 eastward operations and 49 westward operations. Iron-ore concentrate was the key cargo on the route (0.5 million tonnes).
According to Leonid Irlitsa, Deputy General Director, Shipping Director of FSUE Atomflot, the company’s icebreakers were not involved “only in September, when the water area featured the most favorable navigation conditions”.
The number of transit voyages supported by the company increased from 65 to 86, year-on-year, added Leonid Irlitsa.
Information and navigation support along the route was among the services most demanded in 2021 – requested by 49 ships (including ships sailing under the flags of the Russian Federation, Marshall Islands, Belgium, Bahama Islands, Hong Kong, Curacao, Netherlands, Finland, Panama, Malta, Portugal, Antigua and Barbuda, Liberia) vs 11 ships in 2020.
Four nuclear-powered icebreakers of FSUE Atomflot are currently deployed for operation on the Northern Sea Route: Taimyr, Vaygach, Yamal, and 50 Let Pobedy.
RF Government approved The Rules for Navigation in the Water Area of the Northern Sea Route by its Decree No 1487 dated 18 September 2020.
The NSR management is based on the ‘two-key’ principle with Atomflot’s Headquarters of Marine Operations arranging navigation in the Northern Sea Route waters and the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency issuing permits for NSR navigation upon HMO approval.