MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. Underwater gas carriers may appear on the Northern Sea Route (NSR), Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit said in an interview with TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov on the eve the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"We are even discussing underwater gas carriers that will operate on this route. There are such proposals. The Kurchatov Institute is developing such a project, and it is quite possible that they will soon appear on the lines," he said.
According to Starovoit, 12 icebreakers are currently operating on the NSR, including eight nuclear-powered ones, two ice-class tug and rescue vessels and 12 technical fleet vessels have also been built. The volume of cargo transportation in the Northern Sea Route waters in 2024 amounted to 37.9 million tons, including transit of 3.1 million tons. By 2030, it is planned to increase the port capacity of the Arctic Basin by more than 34 million tons, the minister noted.
The Northern Sea Route is the main sea line in the Russian Arctic. The length of this artery totals 5,600 km from the Kara Strait to the Providence Bay.
About SPIEF
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place on June 18-21. This year, the event will be held under the theme "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World." Thematic zones such as the ‘Territory of Innovations’ and the national brand space ‘Buy Russian!’ will operate at the Forum.
The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. TASS is its information partner.