MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Cargo transportation over the Northern Sea Route (NSR) totaled 34 mln metric tons in 2022, which is 2 mln metric tons above the target in the Northern Sea Route Development federal project, the press service of Rosatom state corporation said on Friday.

The target of 32 mln metric tons was achieved in mid-December, the press service said.

"Despite the external influence, an increase in the Russian cargo traffic over the Northern Sea Route was observed throughout the last year. The NSR cargo traffic gained 966,000 tons as of 2022 year-end owing to Russian companies. The incremental growth stood at 3% against 2021," the press service said, citing Deputy CEO of Rosatom Vyacheslav Ruksha.

Oil and gas investment projects constituted the backbone of the NSR cargo traffic, according to mid-December 2022 data: oil and petroleum products amounted to 7.22 mln metric tons. 20.5 mln metric tons of LNG and gas condensate were carried. Transportation of coal stood at 295,000 metric tons. 43,500 metric tons of ore concentrate were transported. General cargo amounted to 4.25 mln metric tons.

Rosatom is the infrastructural operator of the Northern Sea Route since 2018.