Russia is interested in deepening cooperation with other countries to develop the Northern Sea Route, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2019) Russia is interested in deepening cooperation with other countries to develop the Northern Sea Route, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.Last week, France's CGA CGM, one of the world's biggest container transportation and shipping companies, said that it had decided to refrain from using Arctic passages, including the Northern Sea Route, over environmental concerns. On Monday, Russia's Izvestiya newspaper cited Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Erickson Sereide as saying that Oslo doubted the economic viability of the Northern Sea Route and would check its compliance with environmental standards.
"Its [Northern Sea Route] prospects are obvious it offers optimal distance for the Europe-Asia route; lack of capacity limitations when compared, for example, with the Suez Canal; and relative navigation safety. And every year, the demand for this route and this delivery method grows, given the activity of gas and oil companies in the Arctic region, including on the Yamal Peninsula," Zakharova said at a briefing, stressing that the Russian Foreign Ministry pays close attention to statements made about the maritime corridor.
She added that Moscow was "interested in deepening cooperation with other countries on the use of Northern Sea Route."
"The task is set to ensure its year-round use by 2025, increase cargo flow up to 80 million tonnes per year. Russia has experience in organizing smooth operation at high latitudes. Our country plans to further develop port infrastructure, navigation and hydrographic capabilities of this transport artery and improve search and rescue system," the spokeswoman said.
Russian state corporation Rosatom has announced it is planning to create a flotilla of nuclear icebreakers to ensure all-year navigation via the Northern Sea Route by 2030.
"It should be clearly understood that the Northern Sea Route is Russia's national transport artery. Russia, as a coastal state, in full compliance with international law, is responsible for the operation of this route and will do everything necessary to ensure the safety of shipping and fragile ecosystem of this region," Zakharova noted.
The plan to develop the Russian part of the Northeast Passage, the shipping route along the Arctic coasts of Norway and Russia, includes several large-scale projects, such as modernizing sea and land infrastructure and building an icebreaker fleet. The route is expected to become a shorter alternative to the passage through the Suez Canal, the most common route nowadays for delivering cargo from Asian ports to Europe.
