Yuri Simonov, chief engineer of sea equipment projects of A.Krylov Central Research Institute

– Enlargement of icebreaking fleet is vital problem

In the coming years Russia is planning to significantly increase its cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route in line with its plans to develop its Arctic and Far Eastern regions, says Minister of Transport of Russia Igor Levitin. Russia’s icebreaking fleet has sufficient capacities for ensuring effective traffic along the route. Additional capacities will be created in the framework of the plan to build by 2020 six powerful nuclear icebreakers with reactors of new type. These vessels will be operated to Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation but the cargo traffic will be coordinated by the Ministry of Transport.

This is a long-term strategic project. Under one of the projects we have already built two icebreakers, under the second one we are selecting the construction site. We are designing new types of nuclear icebreakers. Enlargement of the icebreaking fleet is a vital problem as the cargo traffic is steadily growing. Lukoil has launched a Varandey terminal – no less than 10,000,000 tons of oil a year. Sooner or later it will start the development of the fault line deposit – this is 6,000,000 tons more. We must also work for Yamal and Norilsk. Powerful icebreaking fleet is a guarantee of our competitiveness in the Arctic region as the United States, Canada and Norway are showing increasing interest in this region.