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The North Sea Route The shortest route between Europe and Asia

The North Sea Route today and tomorrow

  • 7–15 days total NEP transit time
  • Speed of 5–13 knots
  • 2–4 months of navigation in the open water

Until 2030, NEP cargo shipping volumes will be achieved by Russian consignors.

The main NEP ports: Sabetta, Dudinka, Khatanga, Tiksi, Pevek. Only ice-class vessels navigate the NEP.

5,770 nautical miles

The North Sea Route length from Murmansk to Yokohama

1991  

The North Sea Route opened for international navigation

In 2022, Russia will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the North Sea Route

The 1932 expedition led by Otto Shmidt became the first to complete a voyage through the North Sea Route in a single season, aboard "A. Sibiryakov" icebreaker. On 28 July, the vessel left Arkhangelsk and headed east.

The crew had to replace propeller blades cut off by the ice, heave to, and hoist the sails when the ship lost the propeller entirely. Nevertheless, they achieved their destination after 2 months and 3 days: on 1 October, the crew entered the clean waters of the Bering Strait on a ship with makeshift sails.

In 2022, Russia will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the North Sea Route

Today, the Russian icebreaker fleet includes around 30 diesel-powered icebreakers, 4 nuclear-powered icebreakers, and the "Sevmorput" LASH carrier — the largest and currently the only nuclear-powered cargo ship.

Increasing levels of cargo traffic on the North Sea Route and implementation of the Arctic hydrocarbon projects have prompted the construction of new icebreakers, primarily — nuclear-powered ones. The largest and the most powerful icebreaker in the world — "Arktika", named after its predecessor which was the first to reach the North Pole, is currently at the stage of sea trials.

In 2022, Russia will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the North Sea Route

A new stage in the exploration of the North Sea Route started in times of peace, with the construction of nuclear-powered icebreakers. On 3 December 1959, the first Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin" entered service.

The North Sea Route transit speed increased significantly — depending on the ice conditions, a trip across the Arctic was reduced to approximately 18 days. The huge ship was leading convoys of vessels through the Arctic seas for 30 years. During the years in service, "Lenin" led a total of 3,470 vessels through the North Sea Route. After being officially decommissioned, the icebreaker was converted into a museum ship based in Murmansk.

The North Sea Route

The North Sea Route keeps its treasures under a layer of ice and snow
The North Sea Route cargo shipping volumes in 2019
31,5 mln t
Plans to grow cargo shipping volumes by 2024
80 mln t
The North Sea Route cargo shipping volumes to reach by 2035
160 mln t
Ice Navigator in Three Years: New Space and Specific Solutions for the Northern Sea Route

"After 3,000 kilometers, turn right."
World Meteorologist Day in the Arctic: Monitoring the Weather along the NSR

Polar predictions from recluses and robots
Medicine on the Northern Sea Route: A Ship's Doctor amidst the White Silence

A shift for Dr. Livesey in the Polar Regions.
Arctic Cruises: Unique Catalyst for NSR Development

Off to the land of polar bears!
Icebreakers, terminals and total security

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approves the North Sea Route development plan to 2035
'We Did It!'

The feat of completing a voyage through the North Sea Route in a single season was first accomplished 90 years ago by the Sibiryakov steamship
Tested by the Arctic

The most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker in the world, Viktor Chernomyrdin, is poised to begin operations
Sailing through the ice

Ninety years ago, the icebreaker Aleksandr Sibiryakov first completed the North Sea Route in one navigation
North Sea Route 2021 freight turnover: a growth exceeding all expectations

The volume of cargo shipped along the North Sea Route beat the Soviet records by a large margin
Sailing on the Northern Sea Route

How the ship Sedov made a solo voyage along the Northern Sea Route in a single summer
Yakutia plans a project office to lift sunken ships, remove scrap metal

More than 1,000 vessels have been idle in the Far Eastern Federal District
Russian Navy to develop deep-submergence rescue vehicles for Arctic operation

The Russian Navy is currently upgrading and holding planned repairs of Priz-type deep-submergence rescue vehicles with a diving capacity of up to 1,000 meters and Bester deep-sea rescue submersibles capable of diving to a depth of 700 meters
Oil and gas fleet of the Arctic

The nature of the Arctic is incredibly vulnerable to any anthropogenic impact, and a spill of even a small amount of oil or LNG can turn into a real disaster
Clean energy for the development of the Arctic

Nuclear energy has at least two qualities that make it absolutely irreplaceable in Artik
Northern Shipment: Significance, Threats, and Possibilities

If we want to get the most from the Arctic territories, we must first ensure good living conditions above the Arctic Circle
Russian North Supervised by the Military

How the northern troops protect Russia's national interests in a region of strategic importance to the whole world
History of the Northeast Passage: from idea to first success

Paving the way through the Arctic seas proved to be harder than going to space
'Arktika': the world's most powerful icebreaker

'Arktika' icebreaker is set to make shipping through the Northeast Passage faster and cheaper

Icebreakers in the Arctic: the world's most powerful icebreaker fleet

Nuclear- and diesel-powered icebreakers serve the Northeast Passage and enable the development of natural resources of the Arctic
Landmarks en route

The Northeast Passage and its main ports

News

See all
22 October 2024 Young Reindeer Herder programme to be tested in Arctic regions

The programme is designed for nomadic schools, educational organisations, boarding schools and additional education organisations located in areas inhabited by indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation.

Yakutia
22 October 2024 Over 9,000 Russians received a free hectare in the Arctic

The programme has been in effect since 2021.

Economy
22 October 2024 Duma Committee approves zero mineral extraction tax on gas for Arctic ammonia and hydrogen projects

Alexey Sazanov, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, also supported the amendment's adoption.

Economy
20 October 2024 Funding for the Russian Arctic development programme has doubled Infrastructure
18 October 2024 Arctic zone resident plans to launch Norilsk's first special equipment cleaning facility Krasnoyarsk Krai