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Traffic along Northern Sea Route grows contrary to skeptic forecasts — Rosatom CEO

Alexey Likhachev expressed hope that this figure will reach 36 mln tonnes by the end of the year

VLADIVOSTOK, September 6. /TASS/. The volume of Russian cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route surpasses projected figures despite unconfirmed forecasts about its reduced role amid sanctions against Russia, Director General of state corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev said at the Eastern Economic Forum.

"The opinion of skeptics that international events that started after this February will diminish the role of the Northern Sea Route was not confirmed. Yes, we see a slight temporary decline in international transit. Nevertheless, Russia’s transportation is growing at a faster pace - around 5-5.5% monthly growth in traffic along the Northern Sea Route this year," Likhachev said.

He said he hopes that this figure will reach 36 mln tonnes by the end of the year. Likhachev assessed the decline in international transit along the Northern Sea Route as small, and considers the phenomenon itself to be temporary due to economic reasons.

Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the Seventh Eastern Economic Forum will be running from September 5 to September 8 in Vladivostok. TASS is the event’s general information partner and its official photohost agency. This year, the theme of the forum is: "On the Path to a Multipolar World."

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