To expand Northern Supply route – Russia deploys all eight ice breakers

Its for the first time in history that Russia has simultaneously deployed its entire fleet of eight nuclear-powered icebreakers to maintain key Arctic shipping lanes open during winter season, a move that highlights Moscow’s push for the expansion of the High North for energy exports and its strategic ambitions in the Arctic. Also if we analyse the present situation the exports from West Russian port is vulnerable, there has several instances when Ukraine tried to attack by drones and other ways to ports – Novorossiysk, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don and others.

Its becomes very important for Russia to keep its Northern Route open and safe due to

• Northern route high proximity from Ukraine.

• It is safe due to climatic and geographic conditions.

Action taken by Russia

Recently Russia has activated all eight nuclear driven icebreakers including

1. Yamal (Older Arktika-class vessel, still in service)

2. 50 Let Pobedy (Another Arktika-class ship)

3. Arktika (First of the modern Project 22220 class)

4. Sibir (Second Project 22220 icebreaker)

5. Ural (Third Project 22220 vessel)

6. Yakutiya (Fourth Project 22220 ship recently commissioned)

7. Vaygach (specially designed for shallow coastal and river mouth work, making it critical for access to inland export terminals)

8. Taymyr (specially designed for shallow coastal and river mouth work, making it critical for access to inland export terminals)

   
   

   The deployment is done at Gulf of Ob and Yenisei Gulf to break ice and keep winter navigation open. These  two are the important route for shipping crude oil, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), and mineral commodities from Siberia’s Arctic production hubs.

Future plan of Russia on ice breaker

Many ice  breakers are under construction including Arktika-class ships like Chukotka, Leningrad, and Stalingrad which are expected to be ready for deployment around 2026 to 2030.

Apart from above, Russia is also constructing a large Leader-class icebreaker – “Rossiya” which can ease out Navigation for complete year in NSR (Northern Sea Route).

It’s a mandatory requirement for Russia to keep its NSR route open as Russia aims to shift its share of exports volume through NSR. Apart from this China is also pushing to move its  vessels through NSR , a Chinese company Haijie Shipping Company is the first company to start its service in NSR from Shanghai to North Europe. This is a milestone in maritime industry.

We have mentioned the details on North Sea route in our earlier blog .

If we see the bigger picture, within all global routes - NSR is the best option for now connecting China to Northern Europe as the conventional route via Suez canal is stopped due to  Houthi rebels attack on vessels passing through Red Sea.

Will keep you updated.