Information about report: Transport potential of the North Sea Route

The sustainable development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is closely connected with the transport system of the region, the main element of which is the Northern Sea Route (NSR). Navigation on it has a fundamental importance for ensuring the vital activity of the Arctic regions, increasing the transit of goods and developing mineral deposits.

Currently there are active processes in the development of the transport system of the Arctic: a legal framework is being improved to ensure the functioning of the NSR; the Polar Code entered into force in 2017; new rules for navigation and application of tariffs for icebreaking were approved. It is planned to pass a bill which would grant the right to transportation of hydrocarbons in the water area of the Northern Sea Route but only for vessels under Russian flag. However, the most important step for today is a final choice of a structure which is responsible for the development of the NSR, and also for identifying its rights which may include questions of shipping, ice-breakers providing, security, navigation and port’s infrastructure of the NSR.

Within the framework of the panel session, it is planned to discuss the effectiveness of the organization of port activity in the Arctic and ways to increase the commercial attractiveness of the Northern Sea Route. Considering the increasing volumes of traffic, the issue of taking additional measures in the field of maritime safety and the formation of a modern management system for the NSR is acute.

Issues for discussion:

• Integrated development of the Arctic transport system
• The current status and increasing the attractiveness of the NSR
• The main directions of the development of the port infrastructure of the Arctic zone
• The Northern Sea Route management system and the safety of navigation in the Arctic
• Icebreaker support of navigation on the NSR. Regulation of legal relations between participants of icebreaking
• The Northern Sea Route as an International Transport Corridor
• Increasing the organization quality of the Northern delivery

Moderator:

Disputants: