Rosatom intends to build 5 container ships of the high Arctic class Arc7, Vedomosti writes with reference to Sergey Chemko, project manager of the project office for Arctic development of the Rosatom State Corporation.
The publication recalls that Rusatom Arctic (part of Rosatom) and China's Hainan Yangpu NewNew Shipping signed an agreement this year to establish a joint venture. The task of the joint venture is to build container ships for transportation along the Northern Sea Route.
The construction of five Arc7 class cargo ships capable of navigating without the help of an icebreaker in ice, the thickness of which reaches 140-170 cm, will provide access to year-round transportation along the Arctic route. This is planned to be done within three years.
It is reported that the base ports of China and the port of St. Petersburg will initially be involved in launching year-round transportation along the NSR. Later the deep-water area of the port of Arkhangelsk will be put into operation, the creation of which is included in the development plan of the Arkhangelsk transport hub.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau Rough&Polished
