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Carriages along Arctic Route may reach 700,000 tons in 2012

Putin pointed out that the bill to settle all questions of shipping along the Arctic Route was discussed at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday

ARKHANGELSK, September 22 (Itar-Tass) —— The volume of transportation along the Arctic Route may reach 700,000 tons in 2012. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin cited such preliminary data at the 2nd international forum “Arctic –Territory of Dialogue”.

He said that trial runs to deliver large consignments of hydrocarbon were carried out successfully this year, and transit passage of vessels was in progress. “This is just the beginning, I am sure,” the premier said.

Putin pointed out that the bill to settle all questions of shipping along the Arctic Route was discussed at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “We expect parliament to endorse the bill before the end of the year,” the prime minister said.

He said the establishment of the contemporary infrastructure of this transport artery is a most important social and economic task. There exists a comprehensive transport project aimed to ensure rapid development of the country’s northern territories and creation of new facilities and work places. The operating ports are to be expanded and new ones built, such as Varandei port at the Yugorsky Shar Strait and Sabetta on Yamal peninsula. The Arctic Route and its main harbor will be linked with other kinds of transport. There are plans to modernize the river, automobile and railway communication and renew polar aviation.