Cargo traffic in the Northern Sea Route could rise by 2020 to more than 8 times — at least up to 30 million tons annually, according to the Ministry of Transport of Russia. About 15 million tons of freight will from the Yamal peninsula port of Sabetta (development of gas fields) and about 15 million — goods in transit. Gas fields on the Yamal Peninsula require created port Sabetta provide more than 220 ship calls annually. Also now continue to actively osvaivaivatsya shelves of the Barents and Kara Seas. Service each of these platforms will provide a number of vessels. By the years 2016-2017 the number of platforms and, accordingly, the number of vessels that will serve them grow and increase the flow of goods NSR. Recall that the Northern Sea Route is currently the shortest sea route between Europe and Asia passes through the seas of the Arctic Ocean. During Soviet times, the Northern Sea Route was closed to navigation by foreign ships. Opened for international navigation in 1993. However, the first foreign merchant ship passed the Northern Sea Route in 2009 alone. Interest in the use of SMP has arisen in connection with the reduction of the area of ice fields in the path of vessels and the appearance of large ice-class vessels. At the end of 2012 the NSR transported 387 million tons of cargo, including transit — 1.2 million. In 2013 he began to act on the order of navigation NSR, where is accepting applications through the Internet, depending on the technical readiness of the vessel to the passage of the SMP in a certain period of time, the authorities give permission. As of August 12 this year, from the beginning of navigation in 2013 were filed 486 applications are not satisfied with an application for a swim only 58 ships.
Eugene Zhitnikova, RIA «VladNews»