ARKHANGELSK, July 9. /TASS/. The Artur Chilingarov scientific expedition vessel to supply polar stations along the Northern Sea Route will be built within the next five to six years, leader of the Russian Hydrometeorology Service Igor Shumakov told TASS adding the new vessel would replace the Mikhail Somov, which had been in operation for 50 years.

"We plan a replacement, the new vessel's draft is ready, the vessel will be named the Artur Chilingarov," he said. "I hope we will be able to put it into operation within the next five to six years."

The vessel will be designed to supply cargo in the Arctic. "We probably won't start building it this year, it will probably happen next year, but nevertheless we will try to build it as soon as possible," he added.

The Mikhail Somov was built in 1975, and since 2000 the vessel has been delivering supplies to stations on the Northern Sea Route.