(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) The implementation of the plan for the development of the
Northern Sea Route (NSR), which is designed until 2035 and provides
for investments of 1.8 trillion rubles ($28.6 bln), will ensure
Russia's export prosperity for decades to come under sanctions,
trend reports
citing tass .
Alexey Chekunkov, Minister for the Development of the Russian
Far East and the Arctic, shared this opinion at the 12th
International Forum 'The Arctic: Present and Future' in St.
Petersburg.
'This is a plan to ensure the export of those products that the
world market needs, which the Russian Federation will produce in
the coming decades, and which is estimated at trillions of dollars.
This is a plan to ensure the well-being of Russia for decades to
come,' Chekunkov said, adding that the plan contains specific
projects, which ensure utilization of the NSR.
Such projects include production of liquefied natural gas and
oil production in the Arctic.
'We have concluded binding agreements, which clearly state when
and what kind of cargo base the business will provide, what
capacities for icebreaking assistance and support should be
provided by Rosatom, what state investments should be provided by
all executive authorities,' Chekunkov added.
The minister noted that the implementation of the plan provides
for the creation of a port and railway infrastructure for the
delivery of goods to the NSR.
He recalled that currently there is heavy rail traffic on the
route from west to east along the Trans-Siberian railway. Due to
this, according to his estimates, the volume of unfulfilled
applications for cargo transportation is about 100 million tons of
cargo per year.
'The ability to pull these cargoes north, northwest and then
ship them along the NSR, since the Northern Sea Route provides an
additional 100 million tons, and 200 million tons of throughput by
2030, may become an alternative,' Chekunkov said.
According to the presentation, within the framework of the
development plan of the Northern Sea Route, it is planned to build
12 and upgrade two port terminals, laying the Northern Latitudinal
Railway-1. The total volume of investments from various sources for
these purposes will amount to 792 billion rubles ($12.6 bln), he
said.
The Northern Sea Route is the shortest water route between
Russia's European part and the Far East. The route from the Kara
Gate to Providence Bay is about 5,600 km long. It lies within the
Russian territorial waters and within its exclusive economic zone,
which is specifically important in the conditions of disrupted
logistics supply chains due to external sanctions.