First high-tonnage tanker through Northeast Passage
The 100 000 tons tanker “Baltica” left Murmansk on Saturday loaded with gas condensate for China. This is the first time a high-tonnage tanker takes the Northern Sea Route from Europe to Asia.
The tanker will be followed by no less than three nuclear powered ice breakers on the journey, Vesti reports. During the two weeks long sail, the crew will gather information on ice conditions in the area. This data will be used to estimate the commercial benefit from using this route compared to the more traditional routes in the south.
The transport is ordered by the company Novatek, Russia’s largest independent gas producer.
Sailing along the Northern Sea Route is seen as increasingly attractive by shipping companies because of the retreating ice and subsequently longer shipping season.
In early September, the Kirkenes-based mining company Sydvaranger plans to send its first shipment of iron ore con to china on the Northern Sea route.
General Director of Sovcomflot, owner of “Baltica”, says the route from Murmansk to China is just a little more than 7000 sea miles, while the distance along the southern route is more than 12000 miles.
The tanker will be followed by the nuclear ice breakers “Rossiya”, “Taymyr” and “50 years of Victory”. The latter will have divers and specialists on oil spill clean-up as well as necessary equipment.
The Northern Sea route is open for less than two months in the late summer when the ice is at its minimum. The period of possible sailing along Siberia’s northern coast is however increasing due to the rapid ongoing climate changes.
