MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. The implementation of projects accessing the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the Northwestern Federal District, including the master plan to develop the Kem - White Sea agglomeration in Karelia, serve part of cargo from the Eastern Polygon, Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said at a meeting of the Federation Council's committee on development of the Far East, Arctic and Antarctic.
"We are developing NSR and exits to it. Simultaneously, we think how to ease the Eastern Polygon, as the country has been using one artery and there is a very big shortage of transportation capacity in the Far East. Projects of the kind, [the White Sea transport and logistics hub], though being in the northwest, really redirect the cargo that in another scenario could go across the country towards our eastern ports," he said.
Chekunkov noted that the key economic project of the Kem - White Sea agglomeration's development is the White Sea transport and logistics hub in Karelia "with access to NSR in the Baltic Sea and the North-South corridor." "The master plan provides for an increase in cargo traffic along the White Sea - Baltic Canal, the creation of a commercial seaport."
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to ensure a further increase in traffic along the Baikal Amur Main Line and the Trans-Siberian Railway that form the Eastern Polygon, a key freight direction in the east. The railways are being upgraded since now they operate at capacity limit.