Barents oil transport down 3 million tons
Russia’s export of oil by tankers out from the Barents Region was down to less than 12 million tons in 2011.
It is the Norwegian Coastal Administration that publishes the statistics of oil transport from Russia passing outside Norway’s Arctic coast. From their Vessel Traffic Service in Vardø all tankers are monitored as they enter Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea and all along the coast towards the south.
Between 15 and 30 tankers are sailing the route every month. In total, 274 tankers with Russian oil sailed outside the coast of northern Norway in 2011.
Read also: Eyes on the Barents maritime safety
The amount of oil transported by tankers was less in all months last year, except August.
In total, 11.852.567 tons of oil was shipped around the coast of Finnmark and Troms from Murmansk and the White Sea area, compared with 14.817.907 tons in 2010.
While oil transport is decreasing around the coast of Norway, the summer season 2011 has shown a multiply increase in transport along the Northern Sea Route towards the markets in Asia. During the five months sailing season this year, nine large tankers with a total of 600.000 tons of gas condensate from NOVATEK have sailed the Northern Sea Route. That is more than eight times more oil than during the 2010 season. Other companies have also shipped oil from Murmansk to Asia via the Arctic route.
Read also: Record long Arctic navigation season
