In 2023, a record 35 million tons of cargo were transported along the Northern Sea Route (NSR). Among the vessels that contributed to this was the diesel-electric ship Talnakh of the Norilsk Nickel company, which delivered 13,000 tons of cargo to the port of Murmansk on December 20.
“The record for cargo transportation along the NSR in the Soviet Union was set in 1987 at 7 million tons. In modern Russian history, the record for transportation along the NSR was set in 2021 at 34.9 million tons,” said the special representative of the Rosatom State Corporation for issues of Arctic development, Deputy Chairman of the State Commission for Arctic Development Vladimir Panov.
“But today, on December 21, a new historical record was set at 35 million tons. The Norilsk Nickel's Talnakh vessel contributed the last ton to this record number.”
Norilsk Nickel, together with Rosatom, is working on a program for the development of the Northern Sea Route, which is designed until the end of 2041 with a possible extension until the end of 2051. In total, Norilsk Nickel is using two nuclear icebreakers from Atomflot - the Vaigach (Taimyr type) and the Sibir (Project 22220). The newest nuclear-powered icebreaker Sibir has been performing year-round navigation on the Murmansk/Arkhangelsk - Dudinka line since the beginning of 2022 in the Yenisei Gulf, providing commercial pilot speed.
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished
