The ship is on her first subsidized coastal voyage to the Far East this year.
Atomflot’s nuclear-powered LASH (lighter aboard ship) Sevmorput has successfully passed the most challenging leg of the route in the water area of the Norther Sea Route (NSR): the Mathisen and Boris Vilkitsky straits. Now, the only nuclear-power propulsion transport vessel in the world is bound for the Laptev Sea, Atomflot said on its Telegram Messenger channel.
The nuclear-powered container ship Sevmorput left the Port of St. Petersburg on June 24, and set sail on her first subsidized coastal round voyage this year on the route: St. Petersburg - Vostochny port (Nakhodka) - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Murmansk.
The ship will deliver 121 containers, metal structures, lumber, cranes and vehicles to the Far East.
The regular short sea line was launched in 2022, with two voyages completed. Three voyages are planned for 2023. In addition, the number of calls will increase from 4 to 11. Arkhangelsk and Nakhodka were added to the list of ports of departure and destination, and the Port of Magadan has also been included in the itinerary.
On April 25, Atomflot agreed with the Ministry for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic on the schedule of subsidized short sea transportation of goods on the Sevmorput at preferential rates to the regions of the Far East and back to the European part of Russia for 2023. Then Atomflot reported that the container ship would set sail on the route: St. Petersburg - Vostochny port - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Murmansk on June 22. The start of the second subsidized voyage on the NSR is slated for October 10.
The Russian government began subsidizing Arctic coastal transportation between the ports of St. Petersburg, Murmansk and the terminals of the Far East in 2022. Overall, 7.84 billion rubles are earmarked in the budget for these purposes until 2035, in accordance with the development plan of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The Russian Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Rosatom State Corporation are responsible for the voyages arrangement.
Atomflot was announced the winner of the competition to select a company for subsidized short sea cargo transportation in 2022. Two round trips took place from ports located in the European part of the Russian Federation to Far Eastern ports. On August 11, the LASH Sevmorput completed the first voyage task with a load of 10%. During the second voyage in the direction of the Far Eastern ports the ship utilized to 90% of her load capacity, and in the opposite direction – 46%.
The nuclear-powered LASH Sevmorput (named after the Northern Sea Route) was built at Kerch based Zaliv Shipyard in 1988. The Sevmorput is intended for transportation of cargo to the remote northern areas of Russia. The ship can break through continuous field ice of up to 1 meter thick at a speed of about two knots and carry some 36,000 tonnes of cargo. With its hull design and strength the ship can operate in the Arctic basin independently or escorted by an icebreaker in more challenging ice conditions.