MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. The Northern Sea Route authority, Glavsevmorput, since its establishment in August, 2022, issued 968 sailing permissions, the authority's Director General Sergey Zybko said at TASS press center.

"Since the establishment in August, 2022, we have issued 968 sailing permissions," he said. "After January 1, we have issued 576 permissions."

"In January - July, 2021, the number of issued permissions was 474," he added.

Glavsevmorput's specialist follows up the first voyage from China along the New Shipping Line - a new route for container shipping between Russia and China, he said.

"Glavsevmorput's marine headquarters have hired experienced specialists, who have spent their lives as captains in Arctic seas, who are experienced in sailing along the Northern Sea Route any time of year and who are skilled in working with foreign crews," he continued. "The marine headquarters are watching permanently how all vessels are sailing along the Northern Sea Route, and this is the most safe route. Nearby are icebreakers, which in case ice appears, will undertake the safety function."

Rosatom is the Northern Sea Route's infrastructure operator. In 2022, the Russian government established Glavsevmorput, which is responsible for the navigation, including icebreaker services, along the Northern Sea Route, regulates work of vessels by issuing sailing permissions.

The Northern Sea Route is the shortest water route between Russia's European part and the Far East. It is located fully within the national territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, which is specifically important under the current sanctions that have disrupted logistic chains. The Northern Sea Route is a most promising global transport corridor. Experts say it will be able to compete with the Suez Canal, offering quicker shipments from Europe to the Pacific Region's countries.