The United Shipbuilding Company (USC) aims to construct at least 1,000 vessels over the next decade, including ships for North Sea Route operations, according to Konstantin Golubev, General Director of Almaz Central Design Bureau (part of USC), speaking at the 14th International Forum Arctic: Today and the Future. This was reported by TASS.

'The corporation (USC) currently faces very ambitious goals—to build no fewer than a thousand ships over the next 10 years, including vessels for North Sea Route operations. Despite having the largest Arctic fleet today, we still need to construct many more ships and vessels of various classes and purposes to create a comfortable environment in the Arctic and ensure the North Sea Route's operability,' Golubev stated.

He also emphasised that to meet this challenge, we must utilise the most advanced technologies whilst ensuring complete import substitution for our technological independence. Vitaly Klyuev, Director of the Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport at the Russian Ministry of Transport, noted that developing the North Sea Route will require attention not only to economic aspects but also to safety—not just for people and ships but for the Arctic itself.

'At peak cargo traffic, we would need to have 54 vessels. We're not talking about ordinary rescue vessels but Arctic-class ships capable of navigating any ice conditions and equipped with the necessary gear for oil spill clean-up in the Arctic. Currently, 8 ships are operating on the North Sea Route, 16 are under construction, 2 will be delivered by the end of 2024, and 14 more will be built in 2025 and 2026,' Vitaly Klyuev added.