MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route was above the target by more than 250,000 metric tons, the press service of Russian state corporation Rosatom said.

"The cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route in 2023 was updated. It totaled 36.254 mln metric tons. Therefore, it was more than 250,000 tons above the target," the state corporation said.

Record high indicators of cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route were managed to be achieved owing to state corporation’s partners, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said. This primary refers to Novatek, whose liquefied natural gas totaled more than a half of cargo traffic. "Gazprom Neft, Lukoil and Norilsk Nickel that redirected their cargoes from the western to the eastern direction also played a big role in increasing the transportation volume. As a result, we reached the target of 36 mln metric tons even before the New Year," the chief executive said.

Transit transportation totaled 2.13 mln metric tons in 2013. Crude oil was the main cargo with 1.5 mln metric tons transported. Iron ore concentrate accounted for about 350,000 tons. "Transit cargo traffic is the market of demand for the Northern Sea Route, and its growth is the most important results from the standpoint of marine logistical business," said Vladimir Panov, the special representative of Rosatom for Arctic development.

Foreign shipping companies have growing interest in the Northern Sea Route, Rosatom said. "The China’s shipping company NewNew Shipping Line requested escorting and support for their voyages along the Northern Sea Route. They purchased ships of a low Arctic class and already made eight voyages in 2023, transporting almost 100,000 metric tons of goods. Destinations were Chinese ports and Archangelsk, St. Petersburg and Murmansk. This is an example when international business is realizing a new opportunity without waiting for complex political decisions," Deputy CEO of Rosatom Vyacheslav Ruksha said.

Overall, 1,218 permits for navigation in the Northern Sea Route area were issued in 2023 (1,163 in 2022), including to 115 foreign companies (55 in 2022). Eighty transit voyages were made along the Northern Sea Route, compared to 47 in 2022.