ARKHANGELSK, August 14. /TASS/. Freight turnover with China along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) amounts to 5.4 mln tons per year, representing 15% of the route’s total cargo traffic, Azamat Khochuev, Director of Rosatom’s Department for Development of the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic, told TASS.

"Our Chinese partners have already become our primary foreign counterparties. Our cooperation is developing systematically. Last year the freight turnover between Russian and Chinese ports totaled 5.4 mln tons, representing almost 15% of all traffic along the Northern Sea Route. Both total freight volume and transit volume are on the rise. Since 2023, the number of container voyages has more than tripled, while the volume has increased 2.6-fold, reaching 400,000 tons. We expect this growth to continue this year, setting new records," he said at the Arctic - Regions Forum in Arkhangelsk.

Total cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route has exceeded 37 mln tons, with volumes of transit and international shipments on the rise. Cooperation with India is actively developing, the official added. "We plan to sign relevant agreements and establish target cargo volume figures. To this end, we are working on signing roadmaps that will outline the necessary steps. We will also be working on launching a pilot voyage next year," he said, adding that other countries in the Asia-Pacific region are also showing interest in shipping via the Northern Sea Route.

The 4th Arctic - Regions Forum is taking place in Arkhangelsk on August 13-14. TASS is the event’s general media partner.