Northern Sea Route facts for kids

Map of the Arctic region showing the Northern Sea Route, which is part of the Northeast Passage.

The Northern Sea Route (often called the NSR) is a very long shipping path in the Arctic. It stretches about 5,600 kilometers (3,480 miles) along Russia's northern coast. This route starts near the Novaya Zemlya islands in the west. It then goes through several seas like the Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, and Chukchi Sea. Finally, it ends at Cape Dezhnyov, close to the Bering Strait.

This entire route is in the Arctic waters and within Russia's special economic zone. It's part of a bigger idea called the Northeast Passage. Think of it like Canada's Northwest Passage, but on the other side of the Arctic. The NSR itself doesn't include the Barents Sea, so it doesn't reach the Atlantic Ocean directly.

Today, the Northern Sea Route helps connect Arctic ports and big rivers in Siberia. Ships bring in fuel, equipment, and food. They also take out timber and minerals. Some parts of the route are only clear of ice for about two months each year. However, as the Arctic ice melts due to global warming, more ships might use this route. This could make it much more important for trade.

People who support using the NSR for global trade say it's much shorter than other routes from Asia to Europe. This means ships use less fuel and create less CO₂ pollution. For example, a trip from Murmansk (Russia) to Yokohama (Japan) is 12,840 nautical miles through the Suez Canal. But it's only 5,770 nautical miles using the Northern Sea Route. This shorter distance saves a lot of money on fuel, which is a big deal for companies shipping goods.

The Northern Sea Route also offers new chances for tourism. In 2023, there were plans for icebreaker cruises along the entire route. These trips would take tourists from Murmansk to Vladivostok.

History of the Northern Sea Route

The first time someone successfully sailed the entire route was in 1878–79. This was done by Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld on his ship, the Vega.

Since the mid-1930s, the Northern Sea Route has been officially managed by Russia. It's one of several Arctic shipping routes. Over the years, the way it's managed has changed. In 2013, the Federal State Budgetary Institution created The Northern Sea Route Administration.

About two-thirds of the Arctic seas are ice-free in summer. This gives ships more choices for their paths. In August 2017, a ship traveled the Northern Sea Route without needing an icebreaker for the first time. This shows that as the sea ice melts, shipping in the Arctic could become easier. In 2018, Maersk Line sent a special "ice-class" ship, the Venta Maersk, through the route. They wanted to collect information, even though they didn't think it was ready for regular commercial use yet. This ship still needed help from a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker for three days.

Experts predicted in 2015 that the Northern Sea Route might be ice-free by 2030. This is earlier than the Northwest Passage. Another report in 2016 suggested that large-scale shipping through the Arctic could be profitable by 2040.

The Northern Sea Route is very important for transport. It can even be more profitable than the Suez Canal for several reasons:

• Ships save fuel because the distance is shorter.
• Shorter trips mean less money spent on staff and renting vessels.
• The Northern Sea Route does not charge fees to pass through. The Suez Canal does.
• There are no long waits or queues, unlike at the Suez Canal.
• There is no risk of pirate attacks.

In 2018, the Russian government gave the main responsibility for the Northern Sea Route to Rosatom. This company manages Russia's nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet from Murmansk.

Rosatom is a state company that helps ships navigate the NSR. It manages a fleet of powerful nuclear icebreakers. It also makes sure navigation is safe and smooth. Rosatom provides services for gas tankers when the weather is bad. It also helps with navigation maps and develops port facilities. To do all this, they created the Directorate of the Northern Sea Route. This group now manages three other organizations.

Recently, a new group called the "Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route" (or "Glavsevmorput") was set up. Its main job is to organize how ships travel in the NSR. Glavsevmorput helps arrange icebreakers based on weather and ice conditions. It also monitors ship traffic and provides information to vessels. It even issues permits for ships to sail in the NSR. Rosatom is part of the Arctic Economic Council. This means all its work aims to improve the economy, protect the environment, and help people in the Arctic.

Since 2008, Rosatom has managed Russia's nuclear icebreaker fleet. This fleet is the largest in the world. It includes a container ship, four service vessels, and seven nuclear-powered icebreakers. These include famous ships like the "Yamal" and "50 Let Pobedy". The newest ones are "Arctic", "Siberia", and "Ural". These are the latest "Project 22220" icebreakers. The "Sevmorput" is the world's only transport vessel with a nuclear power plant.

Building more icebreakers is key for year-round travel in the Arctic. Two more "Project 22220" nuclear icebreakers are being built in St. Petersburg. These are the Yakutiya (expected 2024) and Chukotka (expected 2026). These icebreakers can change how deep they sit in the water. This allows them to work both in the open sea and in shallow river mouths. They will be powered by two RITM-200 reactors and can break ice up to 3 meters (10 feet) thick. More icebreakers are also planned, including four non-nuclear ones.

The Zvezda shipyard is also building the world's most powerful nuclear icebreaker, "Project 10510 Russia." It is expected to be ready in 2027. Two more icebreakers like this one are also planned. They will have two powerful RITM-400 reactors. These icebreakers will be able to break ice more than 4 meters (13 feet) thick.

Starting in the late 2010s, Russia began making its defense stronger near the Northern Sea Route.

Why the Northern Sea Route is Important for Business

Experts often compare the Northern Sea Route with the traditional Suez Canal Route. The NSR is shorter, which saves fuel. However, it also has environmental risks and can cost more to operate.

But some studies might not fully consider all the benefits of the NSR. These include:

• The shorter distance, which means less CO₂ pollution.
• No fees for passing through.
• No risk of pirate attacks, so no need for expensive cargo insurance.
• Lower overall journey costs because it's shorter.

Some researchers suggest using both routes. The Northern Sea Route could be used in summer when there is less ice. The Suez Canal Route could be used during the rest of the year. They also say that the NSR's economic success depends a lot on the weather conditions.

Even though Arctic ice is melting, the amount of cargo shipped through the NSR is still small compared to the Suez Canal. However, the amount of cargo is growing steadily each year. Research shows that combining the NSR and Suez Canal routes can be better than just using the Suez Canal. If a shipping company has enough cargo for the NSR, uses a reliable ice-class ship, and oil prices are high, the NSR-Suez Canal combination is clearly better for business. The thickness of the ice directly affects shipping costs. As Arctic ice slowly melts, the cost of icebreaking services is expected to go down. Also, some ice-class ships can sail on the NSR by themselves. This means the fee for an icebreaker escort on the NSR might be much lower than the Suez Canal toll.

Rosatom helps make the NSR safe for navigation using advanced technology. Besides organizing shipping and providing icebreaker services, Rosatom plans to use a system called the Arctic Ice Regime Shipping System (AIRSS). This system will be a digital platform. It will offer services to cargo companies, ship owners, captains, and others involved in shipping on the NSR. For example, it will issue permits for ships, monitor traffic, and manage the icebreaker fleet. This digital platform will gather information from many sources. This includes weather data, the location of ships and icebreakers, and port congestion. Users will get an "ice navigator" that helps them plan the best route based on changing ice conditions.

Shipping Traffic on the Northern Sea Route

This table shows how many complete trips were made through the Northern Sea Route by ships from different countries.

In 2022, the total amount of cargo moved on the Northern Sea Route was 34.034 million tonnes. This was a little less than in 2021. There were 2,994 voyages made by 314 vessels in 2022. Many of these trips (280 voyages) carried LNG (liquefied natural gas) from the Sabetta port.

In 2023, a new record was set, with 35 million tonnes of cargo transported. This was more than the 2021 record of 34.1 million tonnes.

Environmental Impact of Shipping

According to a study from 2020, sea cargo transportation causes 2.9% of all global emissions. The amount of goods shipped by sea is expected to double in the next 20 years. Marine transport produces about 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions each year. The shipping industry has been trying to reduce its environmental impact for many years. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has told sea carriers to cut their CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2050.

Marine transport creates 14% of all transport emissions. There aren't many good ways to replace fossil fuels for ship engines right now. Nuclear power is used in some ships, but not widely. Other options like wind and solar power are still being developed. Because the NSR is shorter, using it helps reduce the carbon footprint of shipping. However, this also brings big risks to the delicate Arctic environment.

See also

• Arctic Bridge
• Arctic cooperation and politics
• Arctic policy of Russia
• List of Russian explorers
• Territorial claims in the Arctic
• Belt and Road Initiative