MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. Freight traffic along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2026 already exceeds 2025 figures by 15%, and the number of requests for transit permits has increased, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev told Vesti.

"It's important to emphasize that we've been achieving record-breaking figures for two years now: over 37 million tons of annual shipments. Transit is growing year after year, and container transit has emerged and is beginning to grow. <…> We've also had a higher number of permits requested by carriers this year, as well as a higher number of voyages. <…> This year's shipment volume is 15% higher than last year's record. I very much hope that we'll set a record, and even surpass the psychological mark of 40 million tons," Likhachev said.

He noted that the state nuclear corporation is currently developing the NSR infrastructure.

"It's important for us to ensure not only the offshore infrastructure, but also the onshore infrastructure. This includes terminals, transshipment points for all types of cargo, energy for northern projects, and, of course, sea channels. All of this is the responsibility of the Northern Sea Route infrastructure operator, which the state corporation Rosatom has been for several years," Likhachev added.

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.